


How to Run From the Mess You Made

by seolarss



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Aliases, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Magic, Betrayal, Bittersweet Ending, Blood and Injury, Boys Kissing, Character Death, Djinni & Genies, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Violence, Mutual Pining, Non-Explicit Sex, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Suicidal Thoughts, genie donghyuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:48:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 64,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25719073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seolarss/pseuds/seolarss
Summary: It’s made mostly of silver, but the intricate jade designs on the sides and on the lid look almost as if they’re moving, urging Minhyung to drag his hand across it. He knows exactly what it is—his mother and Minho had told him so many stories about these things, but he never thought that he’d ever in his wildest dreams get to hold a genie lamp in his own two hands.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee, Mark Lee/Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten
Comments: 88
Kudos: 84





	1. THE JADE GENIE

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to HTRFTMYM !!! I have been working on this story since April as it originally began as a nanowrimo with my soulmate, my muse, my future roommate, livvy ! (jungwooed) it's been exhausting but it's very very dear to me and i'm excited to show it to you all !! all in all, this story is about 60k--i've got a chapter and a half left to write and then editing and it's done! but i'm impatient so here's chapter one already D:
> 
> i made a [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/17R4TqySz4Bg3GHTwMdpv0) on spotify that you can listen to while u read!!! i hope u enjoy <3333

Being poor is not a crime. They’re words that Minhyung mutters to himself daily, even as he’s being dragged out of Bak Heenim’s shop by the elbow. His skin lights up in embarrassment when he catches a woman’s eye and she sneers at him, pulling her children against her hip. Being poor is not a crime.

“I do not want to see you anywhere near my shop, do you understand?” Heenim growls and shoves his hands into the pockets of Minhyung’s pants. He pulls out handfuls of rice and shakes them in his face. Minhyung watches sadly as the grains slip from between his fingers and spill to the ground. “I catch you around here again, and I will rip those grimey little nails from your thieving fingers without a second thought.”

With his final warning, Heenim shoves at the back of Minhyung’s head, sending him stumbling forward. He turns on his heel and walks back into his shop, muttering curses under his breath. Minhyung grits his teeth and wipes his hands on his pants before setting off toward the edge of town. He presses his palms into his eyes as he walks, hoping the pressure will make his tears of humiliation disappear. Someone bumps into him as they pass him and they swear loudly at him, kicking the dirt up and letting the wind stick it to Minhyung’s clothes. The shame burns hotter on the back of his neck. 

“Minhyung,” a gruff voice calls from his right, startling him. He halts and drops his hands from his face to look toward the voice. An old man wobbles out from underneath his veranda and squints through the sun at Minhyung. He moves forward and allows the man to grab onto his elbow, ready to escort him to the shops, but he raises a hand to silence Minhyung before he’s even spoken. 

“My wife will have my head if she finds out I’m still feeding you, so I couldn’t take much.” He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a cloth, unwrapping it to show Minhyung the contents. “There is some egg kimbap and a few peach slices. Be careful, the peach is very ripe. I lost a lot of juice while I was slicing it up.” He chuckles and pulls another cloth from the waistband of his pants. “In here is some leftover samgyeopsal. I’m sorry I can’t give you any more than this.”

Minhyung shakes his head and bows deeply, holding the food to his chest. “Thank you, Hyung,” he croaks. “Thank you very much.” He straightens his back and kisses the elderly man’s cheek, swallowing the lump forming in his throat. 

“Now get out of here before Soyeon catches you with me,” he warns, a smile playing on his lips. 

“Ahn Bongho!” A shrill voice calls from inside the house. “If I find out you gave my last peach to that filthy boy I will skin you alive!”

Bongho laughs full-bodied and places a hand on Minhyung’s shoulder, pushing him gently. “Go! I’d like to live another day!”

So Minhyung goes. He bows his head one last time and takes off running North. He doesn’t stop running until he’s reached the new edge of Sinuiju, where the houses become fewer and farther between. Only then does he allow himself to slow to a stroll.

Before the second war, Sinuiju was much larger. Houses and shops stretched to the river and children ran freely, unafraid of their surroundings. Elders had their grandchildren pull their wagons for them and they laughed while they treated their wounds, kissing their dirty, tear streaked faces. But the battle eventually reached their little town and killed everyone living on the river. Minhyung’s parents fell victim to the violence, dying in the fires. The third and final war against China, years later, would take place on the other side of the river, but the children of Sinuiju had stopped playing with each other already. 

Minhyung will never be as happy as he was when he was nine years old. He will never forget the warmth he used to feel in his chest when his father would smile at him from the water and his mother would laugh into his ear as she tucked him into bed. He will never forget the heat of the flames consuming his parents, his home, and every memory he’d ever made. Trauma is not something one forgets easily, but everyone in Sinuiju seemed so eager to abandon both the memory and the only survivor from the river. 

He hums quietly to himself as he unwraps the first cloth given to him by Bongho. Juice drips down to Minhyung’s elbows with his first bite into a peach slice. It’s almost too sweet, but he devours it nonetheless, licking between his fingers before reaching for the kimbap. It’s going limp in the heat but it tastes so similar to his mother’s cooking that Minhyung eats it slowly, savouring the flavours and catching the filling in the cloth it came in. He eats the samgyeopsal with what fell and finally wipes his arms clean. They’ve become sticky and the dust in the air clings to the lines of juice on his skin. His stomach is nowhere near full, but it rumbles happily at the presence of something more than plain rice.

As he comes closer to his hut, the smell of rotting flesh becomes more and more pungent and Minhyung swallows hard, suppressing a gag. The part of Sinuiju that had been destroyed became an unofficial graveyard after the war. The smell can be suffocating at times, but it’s what keeps people from coming to the river to steal what little belongings Minhyung has. 

His hut is nothing special. The wood is badly burned and there’s a large hole in the roof that floods the inside when it rains. The floorboards are rotting and Minhyung’s foot has fallen through the floor more than once, leaving small scars in and around his ankles. But it was the only structure close to the river that hadn’t collapsed under the flames, so Minhyung was quick to take refuge. It had once belonged to his teacher. Minho was strong and kind and he never once made Minhyung believe that he was different or wrong for not having a lot of money. He would often sit outside and eat his lunch with Minho while the other children played together by the river. He didn’t survive the war, but his home and his bed and his clothes continue to aid Minhyung. 

He pulls away the sheet covering the doorway and ducks inside, tossing the cloths from Bongho onto his bed. He walks to the window, dodging the holes in the floor, and kneels. He feels for the loose floorboard he keeps his tools in, peeling the wood back and sticking his hand inside, searching blindly in the space and retrieving the remains of a Juk Jangchang. The weapon had once been twenty feet long and used to kill Chinese soldiers, but the bamboo pole had been destroyed in the battle, now serving as a five-foot fishing spear. 

When Minhyung stands, his head spins and he’s reminded just how little a few peach slices and some kimbap will do for him now. He isn’t eleven anymore. The townspeople’s pity toward him is shrinking more with each passing day and with each robbery he commits. He uses the Jangchang as a walking stick as he makes his way to the riverbank. He sweeps up a pot on his walk, figuring it may be smart to boil some water with his meal, if he’s lucky enough to catch something. 

It’s as if the fish have become aware of their danger in this part of the river. Catching anything has grown increasingly difficult in the past two months, and the near constant hole in Minhyung’s stomach doesn't let him forget it. 

The sun is hidden by a large, dark cloud when he arrives at the water and Minhyung’s burning skin stings as the temperature begins to drop in the provided shade. Silently, he sets the pot down on the bank and kicks off his sandals, creeping into the water. He stands still as a board and waits for the water to settle. He reacts too slowly when he sees movement and scares away a school of herrings. His throat tightens and frustration stews in his stomach and behind his eyes, but he shakes his head and repositions the spear, fighting to stay focused.

He manages to spear a herring. It’s small, only the length of his hand, but he figures that if he manages to catch something bigger, he can save the herring for breakfast in the morning. A seed of hope is planted in the pit of his belly and he bites back a smile as he tosses the fish to the shore and returns his focus to the water. 

His next catch makes Minhyung cry out so loudly it scares a nearby bird out of a dead tree. In his rush to pull it from the spear, he slips and falls back into the water. His vision bursts with stars for a few seconds and the area between his shoulder blades throbs painfully against the rock digging into a nerve. For a moment, he feels so tired that he considers laying there for the rest of the night and allowing the birds to peck at his body, but he remembers the carp speared through the Jangchang somewhere in the water and feels hot panic shoot through him. He sits up and feels around for the broken pole. When he finally gets his fingers around the wood, he pulls it from the water and feels relieved tears prick at his eyes when he sees the fish is still there, flopping weakly around the blade. 

There’s a bruise forming quickly on his thigh as he hobbles toward the shore, and he’s sure his back is in no better shape. He reeks of fish, sweat, and dirt, but he has a fish big enough to fill his stomach before bed and a meal for tomorrow morning. He might even be able to make broth with the heads. His stomach grumbles at the thought and he can’t suppress his smile as he tosses the spear into the sand beside the herring. He pulls his clothes off and lays them in the water to soak, weighing them down with a few stones. When he removes the carp from the spear, it writhes wildly with one last burst of energy before Minhyung lays the blade on its head. It stills immediately and he gets to work gutting the two fish. He figures that with the size of the carp, he can set aside half of it to dry and use the rest for dinner tonight. He digs a small hole in the bank and pulls his clothes from the water. He hides the fish in the whole and covers it with his pants, setting his shirt on a rock to dry before wading back into the water to wash up. 

The sun is finally beginning to set and Minhyung can feel the exhaustion creeping into his bones as he floats on his back. He reminds himself that he can get some sleep in just a few hours and sinks down to wet his hair. He picks Ilaita from between the rocks and under his arms and between his toes. He silently laments the loss of rice from earlier, as he’d run out of rice water to wash his hair with just days ago. When he finishes bathing, he swims further upstream, toward the bridge, hoping to find some coins. He’d found five scattered in the water one when he was thirteen, and hasn’t stopped looking since. They must have been the only coins anyone has ever thrown in the river, because no matter how much digging Minhyung’s done, he’s never had luck in finding any more, and today is no better. 

Disappointment stirs in his stomach as he brushes the riverbed with his toes and sees nothing. He gets out of the water and walks along the shore, under the bridge. Goosebumps rise on his arms when the wind blows against his bare skin and he shivers. As he’s turning to make his way back to his clothes and his dinner, though, something in the water catches his eye. 

It’s silver, but something brilliantly green also sticks out from the mess at the bottom of the river. Nearly tripping and hurting himself for a second time, he wades back into the water, toward the shining object. When he manages to pull it up and lay his eyes on it, he nearly drops it back in the water in shock. It’s short and wide with a long spout on one side and a small handle on the other. It’s made mostly of silver, but the intricate jade designs on the sides and on the lid look almost as if they’re moving, urging Minhyung to drag his hand across it. He knows exactly what it is—his mother and Minho had told him so many stories about these things, but he never thought that he’d ever in his wildest dreams get to hold a genie lamp in his own two hands. 

There are birds trying to get at the fish when Minhyung returns to retrieve his things. He dresses in a hurry and his clothes stick uncomfortably to his body on the walk back, but his heart is hammering so loudly in his ears he can hardly feel the wind blowing goosebumps onto his skin. It occurs to him that his life could change completely from this moment on, and he stumbles over a root as he stares down at the lamp. 

He stashes the Jangchang back under the floorboard when he arrives back at the hut and pulls off his clothes to change into something drier, warmer. His mind races as he walks through the ruins collecting wood for a fire. The stories he’d been told about genies acted more as warnings than as forms of entertainment. Genies were sly, cunning, and they’d twist your wishes around as much as possible if you aren’t clear enough with what you want. He knows what they’re capable of, and what they’re unable to do. He can’t bring his parents back from the dead, and he can’t wish that the war had never happened. Minhyung has had nine long years to come up with the perfect wishes, but suddenly his mind is blanking.

He returns to the hut and drops the wood in the pit he’d dug out, nervously eyeing the lamp sitting on a stool. Does he start a fire now and then summon it? Should he eat first? His stomach answers for him, aching as it rumbles loudly. Sighing, Minhyung kneels and starts a fire. Birds begin to creep into the area, hoping to steal something to eat, so Minhyung tosses the herring head their way and watches them scuffle and squawk for it. The fish is bland without seasoning, but it sates Minhyung’s stomach enough to end the uncomfortable churning for the rest of the evening. He stares blankly at the lamp as he picks at his teeth. The air is growing cold and the wind is beginning to blow smoke into the hut, so Minhyung stands with a stick and begins pushing the smouldering boards away from each other to kill the flame. When he’s satisfied, he picks up the lamp and carries it inside.

The metal feels as if it’s burning Minhyung’s skin when he sits on his bed and turns it around in his hands. The longer he thinks about what’s inside, the harder his heart pounds. Genies are beautiful, according to Minho. There have been cases of people falling in love with their genie and giving up their wishes to let them free. What will this genie look like? Will it glow green, like the stone decorating the lamp? Will it make Minhyung fall in love with it and set it free?

Without thinking, his hand strokes up the spout of the lamp. When nothing happens, his eyebrows furrow and he brings it closer to his face, inspecting it. Had he been mistaken? Is it just a normal teapot? Suddenly, the room explodes in a flash of green light, and Minhyung wonders for a moment if he’s gone blind. He blinks several times, ears ringing, before the light fades and his eyes begin to adjust. There is someone with him now—he can feel their presence, but his eyes continue to struggle to make sense of the room around him, so he reaches out and grabs onto something. It’s wet, and burning so hot that Minhyung yelps and pulls his hands back and cradles it against his chest. 

Then there’s a laugh. Quiet, light, but taunting. Minhyung blinks one more time, hard, and squints at the figure standing in front of him. He isn’t glowing nearly as much as the stories he’d been told promised Minhyung they would, but there  _ is  _ a faint ring of golden light outlining him, as if he has his own, personal sun shining on him. He’s soaking wet, and his skin isn’t green like Minhyung had anticipated. Instead, his skin is tanned, like he’d been basking in his personal sun since he was created. The jade is found elsewhere, clamped in his ears, around his neck, fingers, ankles. There is a glowing jewel sticking through the genie’s belly button, but the thing that catches Minhyung’s attention the most is the jade on his arms. Beneath the normal bracelets, the plant is wrapped around his wrists, curling toward his elbows. It’s tattooed, Minhyung knows this, but it twists on his skin like magic. The arms move to cross over his naked chest and Minhyung finally sets his eyes on a smiling face. 

“Hello, Minhyung. I see you’ve summoned the Jade Genie. Call me Haechan.”

Haechan. That would explain the golden ball of light floating above his right shoulder. Minhyung doesn’t say anything and Haechan remains silent as well, maybe expecting his first wish. But it doesn’t come, so the genie shivers and squints around the room. “Thanks for pulling me outta the river. Must’ve been in there for a couple years or so. You don’t happen to have some dry clothes for me, do ya?”

In a trance, Minhyung crosses the room and picks up his shirt from earlier, stretching it toward him. Haechan wrinkles his nose.

“I didn’t come with a shirt, I ain’t leaving with one. You got pants?”

Minhyung turns red. “They’re uh. They smell like fish.”

“Huh,” Haechan says. He’s quiet for a moment, but then he shrugs and there’s another, dimmer, flash of green light. “‘S fine, I’ve got a couple pairs of these things anyways.”

Minhyung sits back on his bed. “Why’d you ask me for a pair if you have extras?”

“Well I’m technically not supposed to use magic outside of granting your wishes.” He takes a seat on the ground in front of Minhyung and spreads his legs, stretching his arms to his toes. “Plus, I could never say no to wearing another man’s clothes.” He winks, and Minhyung goes red again. This is the evil magic to get him to fall in love, isn’t it?

“Why were you at the bottom of the river, anyway?”

Haechan laughs nervously. “Funny story, actually. I’ve made a lot of people angry with my powers. People don’t like having a disobedient genie on their hands.”

“Disobedient…?”

Thoughts begin running through Minhyung’s head faster than he can begin to process them all. Has he killed people? Did he steal from them? Had he gotten a master’s wife pregnant? He shudders at the idea. He doesn’t remember hearing that genies were seductive in that way. Having sex with a genie was very much against the rules he’d been told. But maybe that was just because Minhyung was young when he learned about them. Perhaps he doesn’t need a genie to grant his wishes, he may be able to sell the lamp for enough money to travel to Yongchon.

Haechan stands abruptly, startling Minhyung. “I think it’s getting a bit too late for you to be askin’ me all these big questions, yeah?” He pushes Minhyung onto his back and pats his chest, smiling. “Why don’t you get some sleep, hm? We can talk more in the morning.”

“What? No, I’d like to talk about it now, actually.” Minhyung moves to sit up, but the genie places a hand back on his chest, smiling softly, and Minhyung lies back down, suddenly feeling very tired.

“We’ll talk tomorrow, Lee Minhyung.”

He dreams of being pulled into a genie lamp by jade vines. The Jade Genie greets him with a smile, kisses his lips, and then leaves him to take his place. When he wakes in a cold sweat with a gasp, he tries to tell himself that the entire experience from the night before hadn’t actually happened. He’s almost convinced until he hears a familiar voice talking outside.

“...you know I’m not someone to follow those typa rules, Gu.” Minhyung dresses quietly and creeps out of the hut. Haechan is sitting in his stool while his mini sun whirls around his head. “I  _ need  _ him though, he might be my only hope.” The orb freezes in the air as if it has sensed Minhyung’s presence and Haechan tenses. “Come sit with me,” he coos. “I made a fire.”

Minhyung moves to sit on the ground, looking around awkwardly. “Do you want some tea or something? I–” he stops short. “Left my pot by the river.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Haechan smiles cheekily. “I took a walk this morning and noticed it by the water. Figured it was yours so I went ahead and grabbed it.”

The pot is floating above the flames, filled to the brim with what looks like already brewed tea. Minhyung eyes the genie warily. “I thought you weren’t allowed to use magic.”

Haechan’s smile flickers. “Well, like I told ya last night, I’m not anyone’s favourite genie.”

“You really didn’t tell me much besides that,” Minhyung mutters. In the morning light, he’s able to see Haechan more clearly. His hair is light and messy, curling around his ears and nape, and his left cheek is littered in small moles. He notices with a small gasp that they form Ursa Minor. There are so many little details about him, and Minhyung wonders how long it would take to discover them all. “Who is Gu?”

“Ah, so you heard me?” The genie shakes his head, laughing. “Gu is my trusty sidekick. He’s the one who gives me my magic, as well as my own little sun. That’s why I’m called Haechan.”

Minhyung squints at the light whipping around the fire. “You named your orb, orb?”

“Hey, it’s not like us genies get to go to school, alright?” Haechan glares. “It was the best I could come up with, they really put me on the spot in namin’ him,” he sighs, twirling the ring on his middle finger. “Shall we go over the rules, then?”

“Rules? I want to know why no one wants you.”

The genie flinches. “Right, I guess that’s important too. Well, as I’m sure you know, in Taoism there are three pure ones. They created us, chained us, gave us a set of rules to follow, and sent us out to serve y’all.” Minhyung eyes the jade winding up his arms. “I was the Jade Emperor’s first creation, which is where I got my title as the Jade Genie. But I guess he musta forgotten to add the obedient bit to me, since I broke just about every rule he gave us with my first task.”

“What are the rules?”

“Oh, there are hundreds.” Haechan waves his hand dismissively. “But the most important ones are about silly things like not granting more than three wishes, respecting your master, not doing favours–” their eyes meet for a split second and an electric current shoots beneath Minhyung’s skin. “Not trying to escape.”

“And you broke all of them?”

Haechan shakes his head. “Nearly. I broke all but one. Do not tell anyone your real name.”

Minhyung starts, furrowing his eyebrows. “Isn’t Haechan your name?”

“Haechan or the Jade Genie is what you  _ call  _ me. It’s probably the biggest crime to give away my true name.”

“What happens?”

“Your master falls in love with you,” Haechan states. “It’s the easiest way out of geniehood, if we’re bein’ honest. You get your master to fall in love with you, then they grant you your freedom before the Tao can track you down and punish you. Every genie wants freedom, and some of them are willing to risk their lives to get it.”

“And why haven’t you just given your name away?”

“Look at me, Lee Minhyung. I’m gorgeous enough that people’ll fall for me without my name.” Haechan sends him a smile full of nothing but pride. “The punishment for giving your name away is death. I may want to be free, but I’d like to live my life out, you know?”

“I’m sorry, I’m a little confused,” Minhyung says, shakes his head. “That doesn’t explain why you never told your previous masters your name.”

“I never gave my name because I never fell in love with any of them.” The genie frowns up at the sky. “If you can convince your master to let you go, they expect you to stay with them forever. Which is easy for most genies, they tend to fall in love with their masters fairly easily. I never have. Dad must’ve forgotten to add that to my mix, too.”

Minhyung doesn’t say anything. He isn’t sure what he’s supposed to say. Does he apologise? Probably not. “So you’re going to make my life hell if I try and wish for anything?” Haechan meets his eyes, still frowning. “Should I just sell your lamp to avoid any trouble, then?”

He laughs then, tossing his head back. “I mean, you can certainly try. I doubt anyone will want to buy me, though.” Mark tilts his head, questioning. “My last master was in Sinuiju. Things didn’t end well between us.”

“How so?”

“Y’know, the usual. He fell in love with me. Nearly convinced him to let me free! Freedom was so close I could taste it, but he found out I didn’t love him back. That’s when he threw me in the river over there,” he makes a noncommittal gesture toward the bridge behind Minhyung. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he told the whole damn country about me.”

Something stirs uncomfortably in Minhyung’s stomach.  _ I  _ need  _ him though. He might be my only hope.  _ The words bang around in his head as he watches Haechan watch him. He’s determined to get what he wants, but so is the genie. 

“Let’s take a trip to town.”

Haechan’s face falls. “If you insist.”

They bicker briefly about the genie putting on a shirt (Minhyung loses) before they begin heading south. Haechan swings the lamp around by the handle and whistles like he doesn’t notice Minhyung bristling with every loop the lamp makes around his finger. He knows he’s bitter about Minhyung’s attempts to sell him. But he cannot risk getting seduced by a genie and further ruining his life. People begin whispering as soon as they catch sight of the two. Haechan grins, bowing at elderly people as they glare at him, and panic sets into Minhyung’s stomach quickly. 

“Lee Minhyung!” Bongho’s voice startles both of them, as well as the few surrounding people. The old man hobbles toward them, an unreadable look set on his withering face. He roughly grabs Minhyung by the sleeve and pulls him away from Haechan, who beams at the two of them. “What in the Lord’s name are you doing with the Jade Genie?” He wheezes. “Do you have any idea how dangerous he is?”

“Hyung,” Minhyung begins, removing Bongho’s hand from his arm. “I found the lamp in the river. He told me about what he’s done. I was going to use him last night, but I’ve decided to sell the lamp to Heenim instead. I’d like to leave Sinuiju–”

“You stupid boy! No one will buy the Jade Genie, not even the town idiot!” Bongho’s eyes bulge as he looks over Minhyung’s shoulder. “A normal genie is already dangerous enough, but he’s worse than that! You must get rid of him immediately.”

“I’m going to see if Heenim Ahjussi will take it. Maybe he won’t know what it is.”

“Everyone in this town knows who the Jade Genie is, Lee Minhyung. No one will accept his lamp. Find a way to free yourself from him without getting hurt. I will talk to Seoyeon about lending you money to get out of here.” He casts another wary glance at Haechan before turning and walking into his house. 

“What did you do to make everyone hate you so much?” Minhyung hisses when Haechan moves next to him. “There must be something you aren’t telling me.”

“I couldn’t tell ya. I was stuck in a river while Eunsang was up here spreading nasty rumours about me.”

“Were they really rumours, though?” Minhyung mutters. “We’re going to Heenim’s shop anyway. You will hide outside and I’ll take the lamp in. He may recognise you, but he may not recognise what you come in.”

“Yessir.” Haechan salutes and Minhyung rolls his eyes, leading them in the direction of the shop. When they arrive, Minhyung takes the lamp and begs the genie to behave before stepping into the shop. 

“What do you think you’re doing in my shop?” Heenim moves from behind the counter, scowling. “Didn’t I tell you just yesterday what would happen the next time I found you anywhere near here?”

“Please, Ahjussi,” Minhyung bows deeply. “I found something I thought you might like to buy. Please take a moment to look at it. If you don’t want it, you won’t see me again.”

It’s quiet for a moment as Heenim contemplates. “Alright then, let me see what you have.”

Minhyung brings the lamp from around his back, bowing again as he hands it over. “I found it in the river last night. Silver and jade, I figured you might be able to resell it for more than you give me.”

Heenim turns it in his hands, grumbling. “It’s so familiar, but I can’t place my finger on it.” he eyes Minhyung suspiciously. “You didn’t steal this, did you? Found it in the river?”

“Yes, I was bathing when I found it,” Minhyung immediately bites his tongue, feeling his face grow warm at the judgmental look Heenim gives him. He hums, looking back at the lamp.

“I might be able to buy this from you.” Relief floods Minhyung’s system. “Jade and silver are very expensive materials. The next time a general comes through town I may be able to sell it to him for a handsome price. What if I gave you 650 mun? And 300 grams of rice, that way you aren’t tempted to rob me again.”

“That’s perfect, Ahjussi, thank you so much.” Minhyung’s hands shake as he watches Heenim measure the rice. 300 grams will last him weeks, if he’s careful. He nearly topples over when he bows as he accepts his payment. “Thank you so much.”

“I’ll be hiding this thing, so you can’t steal it back and try to sell it somewhere else,” Heenim warns. “Stay on my good side.”

When Minhyung exits the shop and sees Haechan smiling back at him, he feels his blood run cold. “What are you still doing here?”

“I musta forgotten to mention one thing,” the genie sings and skips beside him. “I already belong to you. ‘M not going nowhere until I get those three wishes fulfilled. Also,” he jabs a thumb at the shop. “That thing’ll follow me. If I get too far away it’ll materialise into the hands of my master.”

“How did you forget to mention that to me?” He sputters, casting a look over his shoulder as they get further from the shop. If it appears in his hands now, Heenim may actually kill him. “Why can’t you just leave it behind?!”

“Minhyung, that lamp is my prison.” Haechan stops walking, furrowing his eyebrows. “If you wanted to get rid of me too, you’d have had to put me inside it when you sold it. I thought you knew that.”

“No, Haechan, I did not know that.”

“Well, now you have money  _ and  _ something to eat with that herring you caught last night!” The genie’s smile returns to his face and Gu darts around the both of their heads as they make their way to the edge of town. “By the way, did I tell you that it smells terrible where you live?”

“That would be because I live surrounded by dead bodies,” Minhyung mutters. “You get used to it after a while.”

“Oh.” Gu stops circling them. “I’m gonna guess that’s why you’re alone, huh?” Minhyung nods. “When did it happen?”

“The second war against China,” Minhyung weighs the two bags in his hands. The idea of rice makes his stomach rumble. “They destroyed our house and killed my parents. I was stuck here while it happened.”

Haechan doesn’t say anything for a moment. The wind blows west and Minhyung discovers the genie smells like oranges. He figures it must still be early in the day, not yet noon, but the sun is already making his skin burn. If he didn’t have a genie trailing him every moment of the day from this point on, he’d go soak in the river for a little bit. 

“I broke one of my rules saving a previous master’s family,” Haechan begins, looking everywhere but Minhyung. “He’d already asked for his third wish, and I was so glad to be done with him. He was terrible. Disgustin’, didn’t know personal hygiene despite being a rich, spoiled guy. But the first war broke out, and because his family was wealthy, they were one of the first targets. He begged me to help ‘em. And while I couldn’t stand him, I adored his family. His little girl treated me so nice. So I granted his wish. The family lost all their money, cause I transported them outside of the city. Turned them into peasants. Think they’re happier now, though. Dad wasn’t happy with me for that.”

Minhyung stays silent. The air is turning rancid. Haechan continues, laughing to himself. “I really hated that guy, I’m glad he already had someone to love with his whole heart. I think I would’ve taken death instead of him fallin’ in love with me. But I don’t regret the beatin’ I got for granting that wish.”

“Why does everyone hate you so much if you’ve done things like that for people?” Minhyung asks. 

“My master’s family really didn’t like me for doin’ that to their son,” Haechan says. “Says I ruined their lives. And if I’m being honest, I think that’s the nicest thing I’ve done for anyone. I’m sure you know this, but if you ain’t completely clear about what exactly you want, we’ll find a way to twist it around on ya.”

Minhyung lets himself smile. They’ve arrived back at the hut, and Haechan makes quick work to start another fire, singing “Breakfast time!” and taking the bag of rice from Minhyung’s hands. As Minhyung goes to get the herring, he wonders if he needs to feed Haechan as well. Do genies need to be fed? Do they have food in their lamps? His lamp is gone. But it’s meant to materialise in Minhyung’s hands when they get too far away? He shakes his head and makes his way back to the fire. If he thinks about it too hard, he’ll develop a headache.

“Don’t let the water evaporate completely, please,” Minhyung says as he watches Haechan stir the pot, humming. “I need it to wash my hair.”

“I’ll get you something better than rice water to wash your hair.”

Minhyung almost laughs “I’m not using one of my wishes on getting something to wash my hair. Nice try, though.”

“One rule I’m really good at breaking,” Haechan begins, grinning up at him. “Is not doin’ any favours.”

Minhyung clicks his tongue, squinting down at the genie. “And the Jade Emperor won’t be angry with you for doing me a favour?”

Haechan snorts. “Please, all he cares about at this point is whether or not I tell anyone my name. He’ll be jumpin’ at the chance to kill me.”

The nonchalance in his tone as he says it makes Minhyung uncomfortable. The complete resignation to death, battling with the absolute confidence that it will never happen, is an ugly fight that neither of them can see. The rice water disappears as the rice finishes cooking, much to Minhyung’s disappointment, but he learns that genies do not need to be fed, although this particular genie does not let his eyes leave Minhyung as he eats. He’s never felt so pressured to finish a meal in his entire life. 

“You might want to check inside, I left something in there for you,” Haechan says once Minhyung has finished eating. “You can go ahead and try out that new hair wash, I’ll wait here with Gu. I even went through the trouble of grabbin’ you a pair of pants that doesn’t smell like fish.”

“You didn’t even move from your seat, I wouldn’t say there was any trouble.” Minhyung steps past the curtain and, sure enough, there’s a jug sitting at the foot of his bed and a pile of folded clothes beside it. He picks up the jug and inspects the contents. It smells like blue lotus and lemon blossom. He takes the jug and the new clothes back outside and sees the genie laying in the grass, his eyes closed. “Is this your plan, then?”

Haechan opens his eyes and squints up at Minhyung. “My plan? Do I have a plan I don’t know about?”

“To get me to fall in love with you,” Minhyung gulps, shifting on his feet. “So I set you free without you telling me your name.”

“If you’re gonna fall in love with me for gettin’ you your basic needs, I don’t think I’m the problem here.” the genie sits up, frowning. “But I guess you can believe whatever you want to believe.”

Minhyung doesn’t know what to say, so he says nothing. He tightens his grip on his things and steps over Haechan, walking toward the river. When he reaches the water, he undresses and gets in quickly, just in case Haechan is lurking somewhere nearby. He doesn’t allow himself to soak for as long as he’d wanted, feeling too uneasy about leaving Haechan alone. He uses the blue lotus concoction both in his hair and on his body and feels content with the way he smells for the first time in months. He uses his old clothes to dry himself and finds that his new clothes have no holes, and they smell like oranges, just like Haechan. He can’t stop the small smile that settles on his lips as he gets dressed, but as he walks back toward the hut, the thought occurs to him that the favours won’t last forever. The smile doesn’t stay on his face for much longer.

“Feeling better, I’m guessing?” Haechan is tossing Gu back and forth in his hands as Minhyung approaches. “Blue lotus is my favourite smell, figured I couldn’t go wrong with it.”

“Yeah, thanks for that,” Minhyung says, laying his old clothes out in the sun to dry. 

“D’you think you’re ready to start the adventure yet?” Of course. He’d been expecting it to happen before the day ended, but Minhyung still feels himself sag. “Do you need the rules?”

He shrugs. “Couldn’t hurt to hear them.”

“Perfect!” Haechan claps his hands together and motions for Minhyung to sit on the ground with him. “I like to think the rules are pretty simple, but maybe that’s cause I’ve been telling them for a couple centuries. I will not grant the wish for more wishes, unless I really like you,” he winks and Minhyung feels his face burn. “I will not kill anyone for you, and I won’t bring the dead back to life. I am not a murderer and I ain’t a god. And lastly, I will not grant the wish for someone to fall in love with you. Simple enough?”

Minhyung nods. “Yeah, I think I can work with those rules.”

Haechan smiles wickedly. “Great. Awesome. Splendid. Now remember, you’re stuck with me until I grant all three of your wishes, but I also won’t hesitate to make your life difficult. So don’t be an idiot, but also don’t take too long with your decisions cause I get bored real easy.”

He nods again. “Got it.”

“So, Lee Minhyung,” the genie’s hands find Minhyung’s knees and he leans forward until their foreheads touch. Orange floods his nostrils and Minhyung can feel his heart pick up. Haechan’s skin is burning every bit of Minhyung that he’s touching, but he couldn’t dare to move away. His eyes stare into Minhyung’s, and flecks of green swim around in the pools of brown. There is nothing about him that doesn’t scream  _ I am the Jade Genie. I have more power over you than you could ever imagine.  _ Maybe this is how he plans to make him fall in love. He just might succeed. Suddenly, he’s speaking again, pressing his forehead harder against Minhyung’s.

“What is your first wish?”

Minhyung gulps and moves away. Every single thing he’d ever thought he might wish for leaves his mind in an instant, and he’s left staring blankly at the boy in front of him. The only thoughts that can even begin to grasp at bits of his mind are completely irrelevant to Haechan’s question. He wonders what he’s going to eat for dinner tonight, and he wonders if genies sleep. Haechan looks confused as he watches the gears in Minhyung’s head turn silently. 

“Hullo? You still working in there?” He pulls lightly on a strand of Minhyung’s hair, smiling nervously. “You rethinkin’ this whole genie deal now, are ya?”

Minhyung shakes his head. “No. I’ve just forgotten what I wanted…”

The genie laughs. “It happens loads more than you’d think, y’know. My masters suddenly have all this power ‘n it’s like their brains stop working.”

Minhyung chews on his lip. “How long until you get impatient?”

“Lee Minhyung, I got impatient two hours after putting you to sleep. I won’t lie, I’m wearin’ a little thin right about now.” Minhyung’s stomach drops and so does Haechan’s face. “But I mean, take your time! Don’t go making any dumb decisions cause I’m freakin’ you out.”

“It’s a little too late for that.”

“Well.” A contemplative look falls over the genie’s face. “What’re you gonna use that money for?”

“I want to leave,” Minhyung says. “I want to leave Sinuiju and start a new life somewhere else.”

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t think that much money will get you very far, especially since you need to be eating once a day at least. What if you found a way to make a little somethin’ extra?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Minhyung asks, scandalised. “I’m not robbing any more stores, I don’t know how to gamble, I’m  _ definitely  _ not selling my body--”

“Whoa there, tiger,” Haechan barks out a laugh. “I didn’t say nothing about you sellin’ your body.” He taps his chin, quirking his eyebrow. “I do like the sound of gambling, though.”

“Did you not hear what I just said?” Minhyung grumbles. “I don’t know how to gamble, I lose every time I make an attempt. Everyone just laughs at me.”

The genie smirks lazily, tugging on the jewel pierced through his inner ear and leaning into Minhyung’s personal space. “You’re forgetting who I am already? I can make your wildest dreams come true.” He leans back, heaving a sigh. “Most of ‘em, anyway. How about I give you a little extra luck, hm? Those greedy bastards won’t know what’s hit them.”

Minhyung hums, thinking. There’s something unnerving about the infamous Jade Genie helping him decide on a wish that would benefit him the most. But, if he’s specific enough in what he wants, it could go smoothly and Minhyung could be on his way to Yongchon within a couple of days. He sets his jaw and nods at Haechan. “I’ll do it.”

Haechan claps. “Fantastic!” He grins. “Now if you’d just word it correctly so I can mark it in the books as your first wish.”

Minhyung hesitates for a moment before he speaks. “I wish I had better luck in gambling, so I can make just enough money to leave Sinuiju. Nothing more, nothing less.” Haechan opens his mouth to speak. “Wait! And it can’t hurt the people I’m gambling with. I don’t want anyone going bankrupt.”

Haechan pouts. “Well you’ve just gone and made it a hell of a lot less fun, but your wish is my command.” he grins and Minhyung stiffens. “But in order to seal the deal, I’m gonna need somethin’ from you.”

“What could you possibly need now?”

“It’s nothing big, don’t worry about that.” He crawls toward Minhyung. “Just a little kiss.”

Minhyung shoves the genie back, sputtering. “What the hell do you mean, a kiss?! I don’t believe that even for a second!”

“It’s nothing personal, Lee Minhyung!” Haechan insists, moving forward as Minhyung moves back. “Every genie has a way to solidify their deals with their masters, I chose a kiss.”

Minhyung shakes his head and curls his lips. “No. No, I don’t believe it. If that was true, you would have told me when you went over the rules.”

The genie huffs, crossing his arms. “Alright, fine. I made it up. Your wish is granted, I guess.”

Minhyung starts. “Really? That’s it?” He’d expected something a little more exciting to happen, like a flash of green light, or a current zipping through his veins. He tries not to look too disappointed.

It must not work, because Haechan rolls his eyes. “You obviously aren’t gonna be able to tell right now. You aren’t gambling.”

“Oh.” That should have been obvious to him. “Well, should we go back into town then?”

Haechan nods and stands up, stretching his arms above his head and groaning. “Bring your mun with you. No one wants to gamble with a guy who doesn’t bring nothin’ to the table.”

Minhyung stands as well and ducks into his hut to grab the bag of coins Heenim had given him in exchange for the lamp. He remembers what Haechan had told him and squints around. Why hadn’t it materialised yet? He steps back outside and sees the genie dribbling Gu in his hands again. They start heading south again, and Minhyung asks about the lamp.

“Oh, right. I guess your place isn’t far enough away from the store for the thing to feel abandoned. Kinda boring, if ya ask me. The look on your face would’ve been priceless,” he laughs. “Man, I’d pay to see it happen.”

Minhyung rolls his eyes. “You seem to get a lot of satisfaction from watching me suffer.”

“Course I do!” The genie smiles. “People don’t hate me for nothin’, remember?”

Yes, Minhyung remembers. He can’t seem to get the thought out of his head. Every move he makes, every word he says, Minhyung can’t help but wonder if it’s just another tactic in manipulating him into setting him free. Even with his explicit guidelines with his wish, he worries his lip thinking of how Haechan could manage to put someone in danger. 

“Oh my god, is that a dog?” Haechan gasps, and Gu spins out of control around their heads. Minhyung looks up from the ground and sure enough, there’s a small dog sniffing around to the right of the path. 

His heart lurches. Before the war, he’d nearly begged his parents deaf for a dog. He adored Minho, but it had begun to dawn on him that a twenty-something year old being his only friend was a little bit sad. Their neighbour’s dog had just given birth and was looking to give the pups away for free, but the battle rampaged their town before Minhyung had been able to get his hands on one. He isn’t sure if having a dog would lessen or magnify the pain, but the child in him still longs for a companion.

He whistles. “Hey, come here girl,” he coos. The dog’s ears twitch on the top of her head and she looks up from the snake hole she’d been digging at. “Come here!”

“Uh, Minhyung, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Minhyung ignores Haechan’s nervous tone and bends his knees slightly, patting them. “Minhyung, seriously–”

The dog bristles and spreads its legs out. Minhyung stops cooing and stands up straight, confused. “What’s wrong with her? Do you think she’s hurt?”

She barks loudly, baring her teeth at the two of them. Haechan grabs a fistful of Minhyung’s shirt and pulls him further away. “Dogs hate genies,” he whispers, and Minhyung finally hears the panic in his voice. “I got hurt real bad by one about a decade ago. Thought he was gonna kill me before dear old dad got a chance.”

“Really?” Minhyung’s eyes immediately drop to examine his body and sure enough, there’s a large scar curling around his waist toward his belly button. How hadn’t he noticed that before? “What is it about you that they hate so much?”

“No idea, but I do know that I never wanna get much closer than that.” His eyes fall on the ground. “Kinda sad, if I’m bein’ honest. I think if I was a human I’d really like to have a dog.” Minhyung doesn’t say anything, simply tightens his grip on the pouch in his hand. Haechan shakes his head, and another smile quickly finds its way onto his face. “Anyways, you ready to make some serious money?”

Town is fast approaching them, and Minhyung suddenly feels nervous. “Um,” he begins. “It might be best if you stay a ways away while I’m doing this. Since everyone apparently knows who you are.”

Haechan nods dutifully. “Don’t you worry, wasn’t plannin’ on sitting in. Gambling is boring, anyway.”

They separate at the edge of town and Minhyung wipes his sweaty palms on his pants, heading toward the shops. The townspeople eye him warily, looking around for any sign of the genie. There’s a group of three men crouched around a box in front of Heenim’s shop, rolling dice. Minhyung swallows the lump in his throat and approaches the group.

“Excuse me,” he greets, dropping the bag of money on the crate. They stop and glare up at him. “Mind if I join you? I’ve got six hundred and fifty in there for you.”

They look around at each other, ugly grins settling onto their faces. “Sure, kid. Let’s see if you’ve gotten better.”

Minhyung takes a seat in the spot they’ve created for him. He picks up the dice, his heart pounding. “I’ll put in a hundred for now.”

The other men slide small piles of coins toward the middle. Minhyung cups his hands and begins to shake. He closes his eyes and tries to keep his breathing under control. A gust of wind blows through his hair and suddenly, there’s a familiar voice whispering in his ear.

_ Eleven. You’re going to roll an eleven. _

Minhyung nearly freezes completely. He sneaks a look at the others, curious if they’d heard the genie too, when he speaks again.

_ Roll the dice, you idiot. They’re gonna get suspicious if you keep shaking them around like that. Eleven. _

“Uh, e-eleven,” Minhyung throws the dice onto the crate and watches with bated breath. They tumble and knock into each other before settling. Seven and four. Eleven.

The man to his left goes purple in the face. “Lucky roll, that was,” he says, shoving his mun closer to Minhyung’s chest. The others follow suit, grumbling to themselves. “Winner gets another roll. Double this time.”

_ Great job, Lee Minhyung.  _ Haechan’s voice starts up again as he sweeps the dice back into his hands.  _ Two, this time. _

Sure enough, two ones stare up at the four of them. Curses are mumbled beneath their breaths as they reluctantly slide their bets to Minhyung. His heart hammers in his chest and he wonders if they can hear it as clearly as he can. 

_ Okay, you’re going to roll a five this time, but you’re gonna say eight.  _ Minhyung’s heart sinks to his stomach as the men pile more coins onto the crate.  _ We can’t let them think you’re cheating in some way, so you’ve gotta let them win at least once. _

“Eight,” Minhyung breathes, and a five reveals itself on the dice. The men around him laugh in a sort of shocked relief, pulling their coins back. A different pair of hands picks up the dice and Minhyung pushes three hundred onto the table.

_ We need to get the dice back to you. He’ll get a seven and take from you, but he’ll lose quickly. The other two won’t make anything. _

“It must be an off day,” the last man mutters as he passes the dice off to Minhyung again.

_ Close it out with an all in, Lee Minhyung. This is where you get what you need to leave. _

“All in.” The men watch in shock as he pushes all of his money forward. Warily, they look between one another before doing the same, murmuring in agreement.

_ Go for six. This is it. _

Minhyung listens to the sound of wood knocking against wood, barely audible over the sound of his heart. He sucks in a shaky breath, says, “Six,” and tosses the dice onto the table. One lands on five immediately, but the other spins on its corner, driving across the surface. Minhyung nearly throws up as it knocks into the second die and comes to a halt. It’s a two.

“No! I’m not letting this orphan take all my goddamn money!” What? Minhyung looks back onto the table. A four and a two.

_ Scared you for a second, didn’t I?  _ The voice snickers over the yelling of the man.  _ Knocked the dice into each other on purpose. You’ve got nine hundred mun to bring home now. _

“Jisung, you’ve gotta let the kid take the money,” the youngest of the three says. He casts a look at Minhyung, and he looks just as angry. “Go. Take your win and get out of here.”

“I’m not letting him get away with that!” Jisung roars. “Come here, you–” his hands reach to grab at Minhyung and he freezes in fear, but two pairs of arms wrap around Jisung and hold him back. “Let me go! He cheated!”

Minhyung unfreezes and sweeps the coins into his pouch, eyes wide, and stumbles to his feet. “Uh,” he bows. “Thank you for the game.” Jisung looks about ready to tear him apart.

“I’ll get you back for this, you filthy bastard!” But Minhyung is no longer listening, turning on his heel and speed walking back to the edge of town where Haechan is waiting. He greets him with an enormous smile.

“Hey, ace.”

“I didn’t just completely rob three men, did I?”

“Course not!” Haechan laughs. “They’re gamblers, they’ve lost much more in a game. They’ll manage perfectly fine with a hundred twenty-five missin’ from their pockets.”

The walk back to Minhyung’s hut is spent with the genie talking for the both of them. Guilt gnaws his stomach the more he thinks about the mens’ crestfallen faces as they realised they’d lost all of their gambling money. Minhyung hadn’t even won it fairly! Haechan drones on about how fun it was to help him cheat telepathically, that he’d never done it before, and Minhyung stops listening almost completely. 

“You don’t have to feel bad, y’know,” Haechan says as they approach the fire pit. “Those guys are what you’d consider  _ high class  _ in a town like this. All they’ll get is a scolding from their wives, if even.”

“Yeah, I know,” Minhyung waves him away and ducks into the hut. “I need to see if I can catch something to eat. We’re going to be doing a lot of walking starting in the next few days.”

An invisible tug to his chest pulls him back outside. When he turns, he’s greeted by Haechan’s smiling face. “You don’t need to worry about that,” he points to a lidded pot hovering over the fire. Gu’s light pulses brighter. “Taught myself to fish while you were gone makin’ money! Made us some carp head soup. Made me feel like a trophy wife!”

“I thought genies didn’t eat,” Minhyung says distractedly as he floats toward the fire. He takes a seat on his stool and watches Haechan dish some soup into a green bowl.

“Genies technically don’t  _ need _ to eat.” He hands the bowl to Minhyung and begins preparing his own. “But I’ve always been a bit of a glutton, and I can eat if there’s food around.” 

Minhyung shovels a spoonful of the soup into his mouth and his eyes immediately burn with unshed tears. It tastes just like what his mother used to make. He can feel Haechan watching him from across the fire and he makes sure to not look up as he continues eating. Having something as perfect as this in his stomach is sure to lead to a good night’s sleep. 

“D’you like it?” the genie asks, dropping a chunk of ginger back into the pot. Minhyung wonders where he got it. “Gu is gonna be a little tired from workin’ this hard.”

Minhyung stops chewing and looks up. “Gu made this?”

“No, idiot,” Haechan rolls his eyes. “But I needed the ingredients from somewhere, didn’t I?”

_ Ah.  _ “You’re doing me a lot of favours.”

Haechan grins. “What, do you not like them? I’ll get rid of it, if you want me to--”

“No!” Broth sloshes over the side of Minhyung’s bowl. “D-don’t bother. I just wonder if you’ll suffer any repercussions using this much magic.”

The genie frowns as Minhyung gulps down the broth. “Haven’t had any problems in a long time. Think Dad gave up after the first thirty favours I gave out.” He waves his hand, Gu glows brighter, and Minhyung’s bowl disappears. “He just gets a little tired, is all.”

Minhyung pats his stomach absentmindedly and hums. “I see.”

“You’re probably wondering if it’s an acceptable time to go to sleep, aren’t you?” Haechan chuckles. “I’ll admit, I gave you a pretty trying day. I’ve heard that telepathy will wear a human out real quick. I’m surprised you lasted as long as you have.”

Minhyung stands, swaying slightly. “We’ve got a lot to do tomorrow.” Suddenly, he’s inside the hut and tucked tightly under his covers. “Should I pack?”

“No need, Lee Minhyung.” A hand presses to his chest and he sinks further into the mattress. “You can pack in the morning. Then off to our next adventure.”

He thinks he nods, but he really isn’t sure. Exhaustion hasn’t sunk this deep into his bones in so long, he wonders if he’ll ever wake up. Colours dance behind his eyelids and if he listens closely, he can hear his mother, beautiful and graceful and  _ alive _ , laughing.

When he does wake, he does so with a start. There’s hot breath against his cheek as Haechan urges him to get up, a panicked lilt to his tone. Minhyung’s stomach does a flip as he sits up. He’s still half asleep, struggling to process what’s going on, but he kicks the blanket off of his legs anyway. Gu is darting around the room, blinking rapidly. To his right, Haechan is pulling the weapons from beneath the floorboard and stuffing them into a pack, along with the sack of money.

“Get your shoes on, right now,” Haechan hisses, not bothering to look at him. “People are coming, and they’re not happy.”

Minhyung tumbles out of his bed and slides his hand underneath the mattress to grab his shoes. “Who is it? What do they want?”

“It’s the men you gambled with earlier,” he wraps a hand tightly around Minhyung’s wrist and pulls him outside. “They must’ve followed us home without either of us noticing,” he gives Minhyung a dark look. “They have weapons, and I don’t think they’re planning on just roughin’ you up.”

In the distance, Minhyung can hear aggravated whispers. His throat tightens. “What are we supposed to do?”

“We need to get out of here, now.”

Any traces of sleep Minhyung once had disappear immediately. He nods curtly and allows Haechan to lead him along the edge of the hut, closer to the bridge. The tall grass around them hisses in the wind and Minhyung’s eyes burn. Suddenly, he’s getting thrown onto the ground and the genie lays on top of him, hands covering their mouths. Gu zips into the bag and all light around them disappears. 

“Where is he?” Jisung’s voice rings out. “This is the correct place, is it not?”

“It is, I watched him go to bed,” another voice says. “The other one isn’t here, either.”

Minhyung looks at Haechan, whose eyes are wide with fear. His eyebrows furrow. He isn’t supposed to be afraid. Genies shouldn’t come with that emotion. Jisung lets out a groan of frustration. “He must have heard us coming, then.”

“We can come back tomorrow--”

“We will do no such thing,” Jisung barks. “If he’s out there hiding, I know for a fact that he’s listening.” Minhyung whimpers behind Haechan’s hand. “And I want to make sure the bastard doesn’t have anything to come back to. Give that to me.”

There’s a small noise of protest and Minhyung pants. He begins to thrash desperately under Haechan in an attempt to get free and stop whatever Jisung is about to do. The body on top of him seems to grow heavier the more he struggles and he lets out a sob, sending the genie a wild look. He looks back sadly.

_ He’ll kill you if you go back.  _ His voice rings in his head.  _ Just don’t. _

Minhyung can hear his fire stones striking against one another and his body goes numb. Haechan sets his jaw and stares ahead. A bright light flashes across his face and Minhyung squeezes his eyes shut. He feels hot tears spill down his temples and into his hair. Jisung’s voice booms across the field.

“See what it’s like to really have nothing at all, Lee Minhyung!” His voice is manic as he yells. “I see you again and I kill you, do you understand?”

“Jisung, let’s  _ go _ !” A new voice urges, and Minhyung watches Haechan observe the scene as the men run back toward Sinuiju.

While he’s distracted, Minhyung shoves the body off of him and gets to his feet. He squints at the flames devouring the hut and his lungs shrink. Minho died a long time ago, but Minhyung can feel him dying all over again as his home crumbles. He recalls the books Minho had kept on his windowsill to study and write in, abandoned inside. The  _ Tao Te Ching _ had been his favourite to look through on lonely nights, because tucked into the back of it was a paper Minhyung had scribbled on and called a drawing. He remembers giving it to Minho, his face burning, and remembers the gleaming smile he’d gotten in return. It was a precious memory that Minhyung thought only he had cherished. It hurts  _ so bad,  _ because maybe he'd told himself that they would get married someday, and that drawing was the only thing that kept his silly infatuation alive.

A hand rests on the small of his back and he crumples again, a loud cry falling from his lips. Haechan says nothing.


	2. LIBEROSIS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Haechan looks back at him, grinning madly, his skin bright and his hair glowing like golden thread in the light, Minhyung wonders if he can wish to stay in a moment forever. The Jade Genie is so dangerous. But Minhyung's heart sings anyway as the wind carries his laugh into the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LIBEROSIS  
> (n.)  
> the desire to care less about things--to loosen your grip on your life, to stop glacing behind you every few steps, afraid that someone will snatch it from you before you reach the endzone.
> 
> [story playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/17R4TqySz4Bg3GHTwMdpv0?si=ktUc305QRqKGgJ7dctpeKA)

The next few hours that they spend wandering aimlessly are spent in silence. Gu circles above Haechan’s head slowly, his light dim and blue and just barely there. Minhyung is exhausted. His feet ache and his eyes continue to sting from the tears he’d only just stopped shedding. But worst of all, his heart feels heavy despite how empty it’s become. His mind flashes with the memory of the fire nearly every minute, and it renders him breathless each time. It feels as though every emotion he’d been avoiding with his parents’ death is bubbling over. He feels angry and lost and so, so alone despite the boy walking beside him. If he were to reach out to touch him, he fears his hand might go right through his body.

But as if he can read his mind, Haechan’s hand finds his own and intertwines their fingers, squeezing until Minhyung can feel some semblance of warmth in his chest again. He knows he’s looking at him and he knows he’s waiting for him to look back, but he keeps his eyes trained on the path below him and on his blistering feet. 

“Minhyung.” Haechan’s voice is quiet when he speaks, timid. “Lee Minhyung, let’s stop for a little while and rest, yeah?”

With a gentle tug, he manages to get Minhyung to stop moving. He pulls him down to the ground with him and watches warily as he reaches forward and begins to pick at the grass around them. The sky is beginning to grow lighter but the air remains cold, nipping at their skin with each gust of wind. The birds are waking from their slumbers, taking off from their nests and crying toward the sky. 

“Minhyung, do you want me to repair your home for you?” Minhyung’s fingers freeze around a handful of grass. “I’ll make it a favour, you don’t havta worry about using up a wish.”

“Why would you do that?” Minhyung asks, finally looking at Haechan. The genie leans away from him, a frown creeping onto his face. “What do you gain from doing me favours? It’s not going to make me fall in love with you.” He nearly winces at the weight of the lie. He knows that if Haechan keeps doing things for him and looking at him the way he does, he’ll feel his heart surrender eventually. 

Haechan winces for the both of them. “It doesn’t have to be a favour then. Spend one of your wishes to repair it.”

“And what will that accomplish? They’ll just sneak over and burn it back down! Even so, nothing will be the same. It’s just a forgery of the real thing. None of the feeling, the nostalgia, returns when you rebuild something with magic. It’s stupid. Pointless.”

The genie’s face falls. For a moment he says nothing, but he eventually schools his expression and sits straight, his fists clenched in his lap. Gu flickers beside him. “Minhyung, don’t be angry with me for this. It couldn’t be helped–”

“Couldn’t be helped?” Minhyung chokes. “It most certainly  _ could  _ have been helped, Haechan. I said not to hurt anyone. I was clear about that.”

“You said not to hurt  _ them _ ,” Haechan denies, pointing a finger to Minhyung’s chest. “You said nothing about yourself.”

Minhyung stares at him in shocked silence. “A-are you kidding me?”

“The magic of genies is finicky, alright? I told you yesterday that you have to be very specific with what you wish for.”

“But I’m your master! Shouldn’t you be trying to keep me safe?”

“I didn’t want you to get hurt,” Haechan says bitterly. “But it was an unforeseeable outcome. I can’t see the future. If you’d been in immediate danger while you were in town with them, I would have sensed it and helped you.”

“You don’t care about me, Haechan,” Minhyung spits. “You told me yourself, you use us to get free and you never fall in love. But you can never manage to get away.”

Haechan stands and brushes off his pants. “I don’t want any of my masters to get hurt, Minhyung.” He drops the bag on the ground and turns. “Let me know when you’ve calmed down. I won’t be dealing with a child having a tantrum this early in the day.”

Minhyung watches him leave with a pounding heart before falling onto his back with a groan. “He digs the palms of his hands into his eyes and bites down on his tongue to will a fresh wave of tears away. Not even forty-eight hours into his experience with the thing that’s meant to change his life for the better and he’s already chased him away. He tries to be angry with Haechan, but he finds that the frustration brewing in his stomach isn’t aimed at anyone but himself. 

There’s a sudden ringing in his ears and he sits up, checking his surroundings. Haechan is nowhere to be found. The ringing grows louder and he brings his shoulders to his ears, hoping to mute the sound. But as he does so, his hands begin to burn. It begins small, like the burning he’d felt when he held the genie lamp for the first time, but it grows into something unbearable, like he’s stuck his hands straight into a fire. He yelps, burying his hands in the cool dirt on either side of him, but the burning remains persistent. He swears under his breath and squeezes his eyes shut, feeling them sting with tears again. Is this his punishment for pushing Haechan away?

He pulls his hands from the dirt and raises them to his lips to blow on them—a desperate attempt to relieve the burning—but the pain disappears immediately. His lips press against something solid and cool and his eyes fly open in surprise. His reflection in the lamp stares back at him, looking equally as shocked as he feels. He remembers what Haechan had said as they left town just yesterday afternoon.

_ Minhyung, that lamp is my prison. If I get too far away it’ll materialise into the hands of my master. _

“Can I bring you back with this, then?” Minhyung whispers to the lamp, turning it around in his hands. 

His fingers run over the surface and, along the spout, the texture changes. Humming, he brings it closer to his face and squints at the inscription. It’s some sort of message, in a language he can’t understand. His fingers drag over the words one more time before he stands up and brings the lamp to his lips again. 

“Haechan,” he murmurs. “Come back.” There’s a small tug in his chest, but nothing more happens. “You brat, are you ignoring me?”

He feels the tug again, stronger this time. He looks up from the lamp, scanning the area. Is he nearby? He stands and turns toward the river, where he found him, and begins to walk. Another tug, this time in his back, pulls him so harshly that he stumbles backward, dropping the lamp. He scrambles to his feet, beginning to feel annoyed. He picks the lamp back up and glares at it. 

“Why can’t you just come to me, huh? Why do I have to go to you?”

But the sudden thought of Haechan trapped somewhere, potentially hurt, sends a panicked charge through Minhyung’s veins. So he allows himself to be led by the force tugging at his chest and occasionally his arms, keeping his eyes peeled for the genie. 

He hears Haechan before he sees him. Relief floods his system and he squints to catch sight of him. He’s twenty feet ahead, kneeling in the grass, his head thrown back as he laughs toward the sky. The sight makes Minhyung stop in his tracks. It’s just barely light in the world but he’s glowing, almost golden. Gu darts around his head excitedly and even when Haechan meets Minhyung’s gaze, his smile remains strong. 

“Lee Minhyung, you’ll never guess what kinda friend I just made on my walk!” He calls, waving him over with a hand. Gripping the lamp tightly, Minhyung creeps forward. At Haechan’s knees, rolling violently on the ground, is a dog. “Isn’t it amazing? It’s even the little brat that growled at me yesterday! But it loves me!”

Minhyung crouches down beside him and looks down at the dog. Her tongue rolls out of her mouth as she continues to rub herself into the dirt. She snorts, looks up at Minhyung with wild eyes, snorts again. Tentatively, he reaches a hand out and places it on the dog’s belly. She stills and Minhyung immediately snatches his hand away, afraid of being bitten. Beside him, Haechan laughs again.

“She for sure ain’t gonna hurt you if she hasn’t hurt me,” he says. The dog rolls onto her stomach and makes a noise, an almost bark, as Minhyung’s hand reaches toward her again. She nuzzles into his palm and licks it, keeping her eyes trained on his face. “Isn’t she the sweetest?”

A smile creeps onto Minhyung’s face. “Yeah, she is.” He’s rubbing at her belly now. “I’ve wanted a dog ever since I was little. I never got the chance…”

“Well, what d’you suggest we name her?” Minhyung looks up, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion. “We aren’t callin’ her Dog, I refuse.”

“Oh.” Minhyung looks back at her. They’re bringing her with them? What is she going to eat? Is she calm enough to come along? “Let’s name her Taeyang.”

“Taeyang,” Haechan tries the name out on his tongue. “Solar, Orb, and Fullsun. I like it.”

Minhyung feels his cheeks begin to burn. “I didn’t even realise.”

“I think it’s good,” the genie says, grinning. We’ve got this fun little theme goin’ on. You ain’t a part of it though.” He sticks his tongue out.

It’s quiet for a moment as Minhyung continues to pet the dog. He wonders if it’s worth it to tell Haechan that it was his mother’s name. He thinks, though, deep down, he already knows. His stomach curls uncomfortably with guilt and he gnaws on his lip. 

“I’m sorry I was rude earlier.”

“Don’t apologise for that,” Haechan mutters. “We both said some stupid stuff, but you just lost a lot of memories and I was real insensitive about it. I’m mostly to blame.” He leans back on his hands and looks toward the sunrise. Minhyung can’t help but think he looks beautiful. “But I don’t want my masters to get hurt, you know. I wasn’t lying about that. And it ain’t for selfish reasons, either. I don’t fall in love like other genies, but I still care about their safety, even if I don’t particularly care for  _ them. _ ”

Minhyung bites at his nails as he looks at Haechan. He glows orange against the sun and his eyes, swirling molten copper, squint into the light. The scar on his stomach tightens with every breath he takes. The wind blows and his hair falls over his forehead, and copper eyes disappear until he shakes it away. When he looks at Minhyung and smiles, he feels his heart leap.

"What're you lookin' at me for? The sunrise is over there." He points to the sky and Minhyung follows his finger. It's beautiful, he'll admit, but it falls dull in comparison to a magic boy with his own sun. Gu floats calmly around Taeyang's head, dodging when she tries to bite at him.

"Taeyang was my mother's name," Minhyung blurts. Haechan looks away from the sky. "In case you were curious where the name came from."

Haechan smiles again, softer this time. "I did wonder. It's a beautiful name, especially for a woman. I always thought they suited it more than men did." He looks back at the sunrise, puffs his chest out, and booms, "This sunrise is dedicated to Lee Taeyang, the mother of Lee Minhyung. Get in line if you want your own, but this one is taken."

Warmth licks at the back of Minhyung's neck and the base of his stomach. When Haechan looks back at him, grinning madly, his skin bright and his hair glowing like golden thread in the light, Minhyung wonders if he can wish to stay in a moment forever. The Jade Genie is so dangerous. But Minhyung's heart sings anyway as the wind carries his laugh into the sky.

The sun finishes its ascent and Minhyung feels his heart begin to ache. Haechan has since stood up and begun running around, cackling wildly as Taeyang chases him, yapping. Gu however, hasn't moved from his spot hovering beside Minhyung's knee. He seems to be enchanted by the lamp in his hands, almost as if he's watching his own reflection as he bobs in the air. It reminds Minhyung of the engraving below the spout and he raises it to eye level so he can squint at it again.

"Is it your name?" He asks quietly, fully aware that the genie can't hear him. "Haechan?"

Gu brightens immediately, as if he's come out of his trance, and zooms toward Haechan. He stops running and looks over his shoulder at Minhyung. Minhyung blinks, and the genie is crouching in front of him, a nervous look on his face. "Um, you don't happen to know English, do ya?" His eyes flicker to the lamp.

"English?" Minhyung furrows his eyebrows and looks back at the inscription. "What is that? Is that what's written on here?"

"It's a European language, 's all." Haechan visibly deflates, sitting fully on the ground in front of Minhyung.

"Well what does it say?"

"It says my name."

"Your name? But there's a space between these two–" Minhyung stops short. "Your real name?"

Haechan nods, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "You had Gu worried for a sec. Made me think you somehow knew what it said."

"What would happen if I'd been able to read it?" He asks. "Since you didn't say it to me?"

"Dunno."

Minhyung hums. That makes sense. He doubts anyone around here knows the language enough for Haechan to find out what would happen. 

“Why is it here? That seems kind of like a trap.”

Haechan rolls his eyes. “I wouldn’t be super surprised if the Jade Emperor put that there as a threat to me. I doubt the other genies have their names on their lamps.”

A tiny piece of Minhyung’s mind wishes he knew the language so he could find out what would happen. Maybe...he shakes the thought from his mind. It would be a very bad idea.

"Lee Minhyung, do you know what your second wish is?" Haechan asks. "It might be a little bit too soon because of what's happened, but if you have any ideas, I'll listen."

A second wish. Minhyung licks his lips. Haechan is right, it's too soon and he's afraid of doing anything that could be considered even a little bit dangerous. But, as the genie said, he's impatient, and the thought of him being impatient with Minhyung makes him squirm.

He looks south. There's still smoke tunneling into the sky and Minhyung feels a ping in his chest. He doesn't have anything in Sinuiju anymore. Even the idea of travelling to Yongchon has lost its appeal. What is there for him to do anymore? He can feel Haechan shuffling beside him, but his gaze remains locked on the sky. A hand falls on his thigh and he blinks slowly, letting his eyes come back into focus. He doesn't look, but he hums to let Haechan know that he has his attention.

“Are you okay?"

No. But Minhyung nods anyway, swallowing thickly and willing more tears away. He hears the genie sigh beside him. Taeyang is laying between his legs now, panting up at the two of them happily. Minhyung's fingers twitch to scratch at her ears. Owning a pet is so foreign to him; his stomach flips with a sort of anxious excitement. Haechan is talking again.

"...I could take you somewhere else and build you a little house. Maybe with a garden and pond in the backyard. You can grow some cabbage and sweet potato, and there'll be enough room for Taeyang to run around and enjoy herself..." Haechan jumps, excited. "I could give you chickens!"

Minhyung breathes out a laugh and looks into his lap. It sounds fantastic, he can't pretend it doesn't. But where would he go? He looks toward the river and wonders what life is like in China, wonders if Liaoning is still recovering from the war like Sinuiju is.

"Do you want to cross the bridge, Lee Minhyung?"

Minhyung looks at Haechan, his eyes wide. "Are you still in my mind?" He briefly recalls what he'd been thinking about during the sunrise.

But Haechan laughs. "No, it was a lucky guess." He leans forward, eyebrows wiggling. "Why, d'you want me to be?"

Minhyung makes quick work of shoving him away, face glowing red. "Get away from me. Of course I don't want you in my mind, all you did while you were there was insult me."

"Okay, but do you? Want to go to China, I mean."

"I don't need to spend a wish to go to China, Haechan," Minhyung says. "The bridge is right there, we can just walk a little bit and be there."

Haechan rolls his eyes. "You're forgettin' the fact that you guys just stopped trying to kill each other? If a little Korean boy crosses that bridge, he won't make it."

He has a point. "What, are you saying you'll make me Chinese? That seems very complex."

"Interestingly enough, there are rules against changing ethnicity and physical appearance." Haechan adopts a teacher voice as he speaks and Minhyung suddenly feels like he's eight years old and being fact checked by Minho all over again. "But I  _ can  _ give you knowledge. So what if I made you fluent in Chinese or somethin'? They'd think you looked like a foreigner, but you'd have no accent to give away the fact that you were anything but Chinese. They couldn't suspect you at all!"

Minhyung sits with the proposal for a moment. It feels almost as if Haechan is trying to walk him through a wish in order to avoid more catastrophe. He feels grateful, in a sense, but also like he's being treated like an unlucky child. In a way, he still  _ is  _ an unlucky child, and it makes him want to pout. He examines his cuticles as he thinks. They've never looked great, but they're bleeding now and Minhyung can feel the dull stinging in his fingers if he concentrates enough.

"Hullo?" Minhyung snaps out of his thoughts and glares when Haechan laughs. "You're really all over the place today, huh? So, whaddya think?"

"I think it's a good idea," he begins. Haechan brightens and moves to say something. “But, I don’t want to leave immediately. I would like to say goodbye to Bongho.”

Haechan gawks at him in disbelief. “You want to go into  _ town _ ? Willingly? Jisung and the others will be there, Lee Minhyung. If they see you, they might try to do something–”

“Bongho is the only one who hasn’t looked down on me since my parents died.” Minhyung can feel annoyance rising his chest again. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “I’m not going to let nine years of him risking his marriage and reputation to keep me alive be thrown away in one day. I don’t care if Kim Jisung sees me. Bongho will be worried sick about me if I leave without telling him goodbye. I don’t care if Kim Jisung  _ kills  _ me. I need to say goodbye to Bongho.”

Haechan slumps. “Alright, if it’s something you really wanna do, I won’t stop you. It’s gonna be dangerous, though.”

“I know,” Minhyung sighs. “Good thing I’ve got a genie that loves to do me favours.”

“Exactly.”

It takes some time to be on their way, mostly because Taeyang protests loudly at the makeshift leash Minhyung makes for her, and Haechan feels so bad that he refuses to put it fully around her neck, stomping his feet immaturely.

“Lee Minhyung, she can just follow us!” The genie whines, holding the leash out of Minhyung’s reach. “She’s already attached, she won’t run away!”

He groans loudly, dropping his hands back to his sides. Taeyang hides behind Haechan’s legs, her tail wagging nervously. “Fine. But if she gets away and doesn’t come back, I’m going to be very sad and very very upset with you.”

Taeyang does not run away. She trots alongside them, occasionally weaving between their legs and running a few meters ahead. But she always stops and turns to look back at them, yapping loudly to make sure they’re still with her. Gu zips forward to circle her head as she bites at the air. It makes Haechan laugh every time, which in turn makes Minhyung smile to himself.

“You must really like dogs,” he observes. “Just yesterday you were terrified of her, though.”

“I’m an animal lover in general. Dogs seem to be the only animals that have a problem with genies at all. I didn’t believe it at first, but my second master had a dog and proved me wrong.” Haechan’s fingers ghost over the scar on his stomach. “No one but the Jade Emperor can kill me, but the feelin’ of that dog ripping into me made me think I wasn’t gonna make it.”

“What happened?”

Haechan shakes his head. “Not much. The brat growled at me and I thought to myself, I’m gonna make that thing like me, no matter what. But I got too close and he jumped on me. It was the first time I ever felt pain. Almost made me feel bad for you guys.”

Minhyung huffs out a laugh. “It must be nice, selective immortality.”

“Not really,” the genie hums, pouting. “I had to watch a lotta people I cared about die of old age while I stayed glowin’ with youth. You wouldn’t expect it from me, but it takes a toll on you after a while.”

“Who have you watched die?”

“I’m centuries told, technically speaking, which means I’ve had hundreds of masters. My second master was one that I cared a lot about. He was already wasting away when he summoned me. He really only wanted to be comfortable in his death. He was kind to me, despite my attitude. I was still new and rebellious, and I regret being as rude as I was. I never told him how much I liked him, but I think he knew.” Haechan casts his eyes down. “I was with him for two years and didn’t age a day.”

Minhyung doesn’t say anything. Never in his life has he met someone so difficult to understand. The Jade Genie is afraid of having feelings that are too intense. He won’t fall in love, but he’s loved and been loved.

They stay quiet for the remainder of the journey and as the sounds of town grow louder, Minhyung’s heart begins to pound in his ears. He scans every face within a few feet from him and bunches the fabric of his pants in his fists. Haechan grabs at his fingers and squeezes.

Minhyung unsticks his tongue from the roof of his mouth. “Thanks.”

People are staring. It wasn’t unusual for people to stare at him when he came into town, often moving to bring any valuables into their homes before he tried to swipe them. But now they’re looking at him with curiosity rather than suspicion. He’s walking through the crowds in new clothes with a dog, a bag of weapons on his shoulder, and a shirtless boy beside him. Perhaps it’s more unease than it is curiosity. 

“Is that Lee Minhyung?” The voice makes his blood go cold in his veins and Taeyang senses the unease, growling quietly. He stops moving and sneaks a look at Haechan. His expression is stiff, guarded. He can feel his heartbeat in the fingers he’s squeezing tightly. “I didn’t think you’d be stupid enough to come back after what happened last night.”

Slowly, Minhyung turns to look at Jisung. When he smiles down at him, cold and threatening, he notices a tooth missing among his rotting ones. His arms are unusually long and thin. But what makes Minhyung feel sick is his hands. From his wrists to the tips of his fingers, his skin is black with soot.

“Nice bonfire last night?” Haechan calls, his tone dripping with venom. 

“Lovely, thanks. It was a beautiful night.” Jisung’s eyes drill into Minhyung’s. “Full of memories, wasn’t it, Lee Minhyung?”

“You son of a bitch–” Haechan lunges forward, but Minhyung grabs onto his arm with his free hand, holding him back. “What are you doing? Let me go.”

He draws in a shaky breath. “We are here to say goodbye to Bongho, not fight.”

“Are you forgettin’ what he did to you?” Haechan rasps. “Let me deal with him. Go see Bongho.” Jisung watches on with a cool expression, crossing his arms over his chest.

Minhyung shakes his head and tugs on his arm gently. “You’re coming with me. Please don’t make this more difficult than it already is.”

The genie stiffens momentarily before letting his arm go limp. “Fine,” he grumbles, shuffling closer to Minhyung. “But if he tries anything, I’m gonna kill him.”

“Are you walking away, now? Running away again?” Jisung shouts. Minhyung’s face twitches. “Don’t you think we should discuss the money you stole from me and my friends?”

“I didn’t steal anything from you,” Minhyung mutters. “You know what you’re putting at risk when you gamble. Shouldn’t we talk about what  _ you  _ stole from  _ me _ ? You can lose a couple coins. You’ve got gambling buddies, you can get it back in a day with one game. Burning down someone’s home isn’t an acceptable way to handle defeat, and neither is trying to kill me. I thought you were older than me, shouldn’t you be more mature?”

The townspeople begin whispering amongst themselves at once, exchanging looks of horror with each other and eyeing Jisung warily. He turns purple with rage. “What kind of–” He reaches behind him and pulls a blade from the waistband of his pants. “Do you want to keep lying to the people of Sinuiju? They already hate you enough, are you sure you want to ruin your reputation completely?”

“I’m not lying. You and your friends know it, and your hands are covered in the evidence. The people can look north and see the smoke from my home.” A group of people follow his finger to the sky. “If you don’t mind the smell, you can walk down there yourself and see the ashes of Lee Minho’s home.”

There’s a collective gasp from a dozen people and Minhyung smiles shakily. Lee Minho will always be one of the most respectable men amongst the people for his seemingly infinite knowledge and peaceful disposition. His father and grandfather taught the children of Sinuiju before him. The Lee family were saints. 

“Shut up!” Jisung roars, silencing the crowd. “I should have tracked you down and killed you last night when I had the chance. Even now, you’re cowering behind someone else.” He spits on the ground and moves closer, his face splitting into a maniacal smile. “But by coming back, you’ve given me another chance.”

Haechan moves to guard Minhyung, but he’s pulled back forcefully. “You were too cowardly to find me last night, how can I believe you’d kill me in front of a crowd?” Minhyung knows he needs to stop talking. He’s trembling under Jisung’s gaze, but his mouth seems to have a mind of his own.

Jisung charges forward with a yell and Minhyung closes his eyes. He supposes dying wouldn’t be so bad, albeit a little painful. Maybe Haechan will be set free with the untimely death of his master. He feels a tickle on his stomach and a puff of hot air against his cheek and he opens his eyes. Jisung is staring at him, eyes wild and confused. They look down, and the knife has bent against his stomach, curling like a blade of grass. Jisung curses and moves back, panting. 

“Wh-what did you do?” Beside Minhyung, Haechan looks very angry. Taeyang is snarling at his feet and Gu is glowing so brilliantly that it hurts to look at him. The blade falls to the ground, fluttering in the wind like a feather. “This is the work of the Yaoguai! The Jade Emperor will punish you for your sins!”

“The Jade Emperor is already punishing me,” Haechan hisses. “But he’s the one who created me. I’m the Jade Genie, don’t you know?”

“The Jade Genie…?” Jisung stumbles back. “I’ve heard about you, you’re dangerous–”

“You’re right, I’m very dangerous. And not once, but twice did you try to kill Lee Minhyung. On top of that, you went and destroyed any semblance of peace he once had, leavin’ him with nothing.” Haechan pulls himself free from Minhyung’s grip and stalks forward. “Do you know how dangerous someone like me can be when you make ‘em angry?” Jisung shakes his head, cowering back. “I will become your worst nightmare if you come anywhere near Lee Minhyung again. 

“Haechan.” There’s a crack in the tense atmosphere when Minhyung speaks, outstretching his hand. “Come with me.”

The genie turns and takes his hand immediately, and his skin burns against Minhyung’s. Jisung is frozen, watching the two of them with wide eyes as they silently check in with one another. Taeyang is sitting at their feet, her tongue lolling out of her mouth as if nothing happened. They turn to leave and Haechan looks back to wave, smiling at the crowd sweetly. 

“For the record, I really ain’t that bad. Eunsang told a lot of lies about me because I broke his heart.” The atmosphere shatters. “Have a nice day!”

Minhyung’s legs feel as if they’re about to turn into mush as they walk further and further from the scene. “I really thought I was going to die.”

“You did good, Lee Minhyung,” Haechan assures. “It ain’t every day you can stand up to a bully and look good while doing it, too.”

He shakes his head, cheeks warm. “Stop talking, Haechan.”

Bongho is already standing outside when they arrive. “I could hear the commotion from here, what happened?” His eyes fall on the genie and his face darkens. “Lee Minhyung, why do you still have that thing following you around?”

“I wish people would stop calling me by my full name,” he mutters as he steps forward to take Bongho’s hand. “He’s a little hard to shake, Hyung. Sorry.”

“He’s failin’ to mention that I’ve saved his life twice in the past day.”

Bongho glares at Haechan. “And whose fault is it that he was in danger?” Haechan cowers.

Minhyung sighs. “But he still saved my life. He can’t be as bad as Eunsang Ahjussi said.”

“Maybe not, but he’s still very dangerous, Minhyung.” He leads the two of them onto the verandah and watches Minhyung look around nervously. “Seoyeon is out having tea with a friend. She won’t be back until this evening.” Minhyung takes a seat in an empty chair as Bongho carries a bowl of water back into the sun for Taeyang. He pats her head as she drinks. “She’s very sweet, what’s her name?”

“Taeyang.” Bongho doesn’t say anything, but Minhyung observes the sad look on his face as he rubs her ears gently.

He pulls himself back up the steps and takes a seat beside Minhyung. Haechan leans against the railing, arms crossed. “What have you come back into town for? Do you need more food?”

“I’m leaving, Hyung.” Bongho’s eyebrows raise in disbelief. “Haechan and I are travelling to China so I can begin a new life outside of Sinuiju. I can’t stay in Korea.”

“Lee Minhyung, you can’t go to China!” He sputters. “Do you have any idea how perilous of a journey that is? The war only ended three years ago, the scars are still very fresh on both sides!”

“Kim Jisung burned my house down last night,” Minhyung says, and Bongho goes quiet. “I no longer have any reason to stay here in Korea. I can’t let you continue to get harassed for taking care of me.”

“Do you plan to disguise yourselves?”

“Haechan has a plan.” Minhyung looks over at him, bites his lip when the genie doesn’t meet his eye. “I’ve thought for a long time about leaving Sinuiju. I used to think I could just travel to Yongchon and start anew there, but when I lost my home, it left a bad taste in my mouth. I want a completely fresh start, somewhere different.”

Bongho sits back in his seat. “I never was a fan of Kim Jisung. I’m very sorry he destroyed your home.” He clicks his tongue, shaking his head. “No respect for Lee Minho, either. His grandfather taught him when he was just a boy.”

Minhyung twists his hands in his lap. “I wanted to say goodbye to you before we left. I’m going to miss you, Hyung.”

“I’ll miss you too.” Bongho reaches forward and squeezes Minhyung’s knee. “You have been such a kind boy since I met you. Taeyang and Jinho were always very proud to have you as their son.”

Minhyung feels tears burn behind his eyes and he offers a small smile. “Thank you for saying that. I’m missing them a little more today.”

Bongho pats his knee gently. “Well, I’ll trust that the two of you will be safe on your journey. Let me pack you something to eat. You must have lost your food in the fire. Do genies eat?”

“I don’t need to eat, thank you Ahjussi.” Haechan bows at Bongho’s back as he disappears into the house. “I’m surprised he’s even thinkin’ of me.”

“He surrenders easier than you’d think,” Minhyung says. “Plus, you still saved my life, so he’s grateful.”

“Lee Minhyung!” A voice booms, startling the two of them. Taeyang jumps from her spot in the sun. Heenim storms down the road, shaking a finger at him. “You broke into my shop last, didn’t you? Stole the lamp back? Well, you’d better cough up six fifty if you want to keep your fingers!”

Haechan bristles. “Hey, you punk. Minhyung didn’t steal anything from you. Get lost.”

Heenim’s eyes go wide at the sight of him. “Are you…?” He looks at Minhyung, realisation dawning on his face. “Did you sell me the Jade Genie’s lamp?”

“Um,” Minhyung offers.

“Bak Heenim, while your lamp was being stolen, Minhyung was watching his home burn to the ground.” Bongho steps outside, holding a wooden bowl to his stomach. “Leave him be.”

“Regardless! He sold me a dangerous item and I don’t want it anymore, so I demand my mun back!”

“Heenim,” Bongho thunders. “I told you to leave him be.”

“No, it’s alright.” Minhyung stands and removes the bag from his shoulder, shuffling through it. “It’s only fair, since he doesn’t have the lamp anymore. I really would be stealing if I didn’t return his mun.” He counts out three hundred and seventy five and gives the rest to Heenim. “I’m sorry I tricked you, and I’m sorry the lamp was stolen.”

He snatches the coin puch from Minhyung’s hands and peeks inside. “I’d make you count this out in front of me if I didn’t have a shop to run,” he grumbles. With that, he turns on his heel and leaves.

“Bak Heenim,” Bongho mutters. “He has more than enough money, he didn’t need to threaten you like that.”

“It’s really okay,” Minhyung says, waving his hand. “By the way, let me pay you for the food, it’s the least I can do.”

“There’s no need–”

“Hyung, I won’t be able to use this money across the river,” he insists. “Please, take it.”

Bongho frowns and lets Minhyung drop the rest of his coins on the railing of the verandah. “What if you change your mind?”

“I won’t.”

Bongho hands him the bowl with a sigh. “I’ve packed you some kimchi and bibimbap. There’s some raw meat in there, wrapped separately. You can cook it up for yourself, but make sure you feed that dog of yours, too. It should be two days worth of food for the both of you, four if you only eat once a day, but I would prefer you didn’t.”

“Two days?” Minhyung repeats. “That’s far too much. Your wife will be angry, I can’t accept this.” He attempts to pass the bowl back, but Bongho shakes his head and crosses his arms over his chest. 

“I will not see you ever again, Minhyung. Even if you decide to come back to Korea one day, I won’t be around anymore. I’m an old man. Let this be my parting gift to you, please. Seoyeon is a bitter old woman and I can live with it if that means you aren’t starving.”

Minhyung chews on his lip. “Thank you, Hyung.”

He shakes his head. “Don’t get emotional now, I don’t want either of us to shed tears.” He takes the bowl and gives it to Haechan so he can pull Minhyung into a hug. “This is a happy parting, you’re going to find peace,” he whispers. “Goodbye, Minhyung. May the gods keep you safe in your travels.”

Minhyung’s hands are shaking when he moves back. “You stay healthy until the end, Hyung.”

Bongho pats his back, a final farewell, and hobbles back into his house. Minhyung takes a trembling breath and looks over his shoulder at Haechan. He’s standing straight, drumming his thumbs against the bowl. Minhyung picks up his bag and walks past him, stepping into the sun. Taeyang jumps up and steps in the dish Bongho had left out for her. Water sloshes over the side of the bowl and splashes Minhyung’s feet. He leans down and rubs affectionately at her head. When he straightens, Haechan is beside him, Gu bobbing above his shoulder.

“Can we go to the hut on our way?” He asks quietly. “I want to see if, maybe…”

“Of course.” Haechan throws an arm over his shoulder as they begin to walk. This close, he smells like dirt and sweat, but there’s something sweeter beneath it. Yesterday, it was oranges, today it’s lemongrass and fresh melon. Minhyung ducks his head and watches their feet move in sync.

“We’ve gotta get some chickens in China,” Haechan muses as they get closer to the ruins of his home. He’s trying to distract him. “I used to love chasing ‘em around before I got tossed.”

“I’d like some chickens as well.” Chickens mean near infinite eggs. His stomach grumbles suddenly. 

“Wanna stop and eat?”

Minhyung shakes his head. “I’d like to wait until we’ve stopped moving for the evening. We can cook some of the meat that way.”

“What if I went and caught some fish while you looked around?” They’ve arrived at the hut and Minhyung feels glued to the ground. Haechan squeezes his wrist gently and stretches the bowl toward him. “Take this and give me the bag. See if you can find anything, and I’ll dry some fish for the walk.” 

Minhyung hands the bag over and sets the food bowl on the ground, watching the genie start toward the river with Taeyang. The smoke has become thinner, lighter, but it continues to rise from the charred wood, blowing into his face with a gust of wind. He kicks around, shifting things about with his feet, desperate to find something salvageable. It’s useless, everything Minhyung had once owned was made of wood, cloth, or clay. Not even the pot he used to cook with was in good enough condition to take. 

He crouches in the middle of the wreckage and hides his face in his arms. His lungs sting when he breathes; the air around him is swirling with ash. He begins to rethink, wondering if it’s worth it to attempt to create a new life for himself. In China, of all places. Faintly, he can hear Haechan whooping down by the river, likely celebrating a catch. If it hadn’t been for him, Minhyung would have died in the fire. But then again, the fire wouldn’t have happened without him, either. All because he found a silly lamp in the river. Something unfamiliar stirs in his gut and it makes him uncomfortable.

Nevertheless, he stands, attempts to wipe the dirt and soot from his pants, and picks up their food. He makes his way to the river and finds Haechan standing in the water, soaking wet and yelling at Taeyang as she splashes around.

“You’re scarin’ all the fish away,” he whines, the Jangchang raised and pointed toward the water. He sees Minhyung stalking over and pouts. “Lee Minhyung! Get your dumb dog out of the water so I can fish!”

“Taeyang, come!” Minhyung pats his thigh and she freezes, looking at him over her shoulder before turning and bolting towards him. “She knows her name!” He holds the food over his head and feels water bleed through his clothes when she jumps on him, wiggling excitedly.

“She doesn’t respond when I use her name,” Haechan mumbles, sulking and looking back into the water.

“How many fish have you caught?” Minhyung asks, looking around. “Where’s the pile?”

“There is no pile, Taeyang kept scarin’ ‘em away. But,” the genie straightens and puffs his chest out proudly. “I did catch one.” He points to the very edge of the shore.

Sure enough, there’s a single fish flopping around in the sand, and Minhyung stifles a laugh. It’s not any bigger than the palm of his hand.

“Maybe I should do the fishing.”

“No,” Haechan says stubbornly, glaring. They look at each other for a moment before he goes red, slumping and holding the Jangchang out towards Minhyung. “Fine. But I’m only agreeing cause I’m bored to death and I don’t like doin’ it.”

Minhyung kicks his shoes off and walks into the water, taking the weapon from Haechan and giving him their food with a smile. The genie scowls at him and trudges onto the bank to sit down. Taeyang whimpers beside him, eager to follow Minhyung into the river. The leash would be nice right about now, he thinks before raising the Jangchang, turning his attention to the task at hand. 

It’s nearly silent as he waits for a sign of movement in the water. The grass rustles when the wind blows and sends a chill down Minhyung’s spine. Goosebumps rise on his legs and—there it is. He shoots the spear into the water. Haechan makes a sound behind him when he pulls the Jangchang up to inspect the catch. 

“Lee Minhyung, is that a catfish?!”

It is, to his own shock. It isn’t very big, maybe the length of his forearm, and it’s struggling madly around the blade. He walks to the shore and pulls it off the spear, tossing it onto the ground and dropping a rock on its head. The genie groans beside him, making a sour face. 

“Use the other blade in the bag to gut it and strip it for drying,” he instructs, walking backwards into the water. “Make sure to toss everything away so the birds don’t try to steal from us. I’ll see if I can get anything else.”

Haechan squirms. “I don’t wanna do that! Why don’t you do it?”

“So you’ll keep fishing, then?” Minhyung flips the Jangchang in his hand and stretches it toward Haechan, who shakes his head quickly. “That’s what I thought. Blade’s in the bag. Make sure Taeyang doesn’t eat the bones.”

He can hear the genie huffing behind him but he pays no mind. The catfish was a really, really good catch. He knows he won’t be catching another one, but if he can keep his luck up, they’ll have plenty of food while they navigate a new life in China. He finds childish enjoyment in listening to Haechan complain as he cleans the fish that are tossed his way, and even Gu has grown sick of his whining, choosing to hover around Minhyung’s head instead. He works as a beacon for the fish, and he manages to catch six more before his arms finally beg for reprieve. 

He collapses beside Haechan, who glares pointedly as he throws the last handfuls of fish guts into the grass behind them. They both reek of fish and Minhyung is aware that his hair probably smells like smoke. Tayang whines and lays down beside him, resting her chin on his knee. 

“We should probably get going,” he mumbles, squinting into the sky. Anxiety begins to pool in his stomach. 

“Did you not find anything to bring with us?” Minhyung shakes his head. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not something I should dwell on.” He eyes the bowl half buried in the sand to be kept cool. “Let’s eat some of that now. How are you going to dry the fish before we leave?”

“Lee Minhyung, I can do that with a snap of my fingers,” Haechan says, snapping for emphasis. The fish beside them don’t change. “But I’m not doin’ that now because we’re gonna eat some bibimbap. I’ll dry it before we leave and we can wrap it in the cloth Bongho packed.”

Minhyung nods and reaches forward to pull the bowl from the ground. When he uncovers it, Taeyang is quick to stick her nose right into the food. He shoves her head back gently, clicking his tongue and she sits straight, licking her snout. Haechan scoffs beside him.

“Fatty.”

“Hey!” Minhyung scolds. “You were so attached to her just this morning, what happened?”

“She scared all the fish away, that’s what.”

Minhyung chooses not to comment. They eat mostly in silence, looking across the river. Occasionally, Taeyang whines and Haechan rips a piece of pork belly to toss into her mouth. The air feels nice on the back of Minhyung’s neck.

“What are you gonna do in China?”

Minhyung chews slowly, thinking. “I’m not sure, actually. Maybe find somewhere to work? I don’t know where we’re going to live, though.”

“I can always–”

“No, I don’t want my new start to be completely artificial, or else it won’t feel like a new start.” He shakes his head. “Maybe I’ll find someone like Bongho across the river. Hopefully without a crazy wife.”

Haechan laughs, leaning back into the dirt. “That’d be nice. Bongho was a nice man. I told him I didn’t needta eat but he brought out enough food for the both of us. No one’s ever thought about me like that.” Minhyung gives him a curious look. “None of my previous masters ever fed me, no matter how nice they were. They learned I didn’t need food, so they didn’t bother. Didn’t feel like wastin’ food on a genie when they could feed themselves instead, I guess.”

“That’s silly,” Minhyung says as he sets his chopsticks down and covers the dish back up. Haechan hums in agreement. “Shall we dry the fish now?”

The genie groans as he sits back up. “Fine. Sure, yes.”

Minhyung stands and stretches his arms above his head. His face twists at his smell. “Um, Haechan.” He blinks up at him. “You didn’t happen to pack that fancy bath stuff when we left last night, did you? I need to clean up.”

Haechan grins, hand already reaching into the bag. “Wait for me.” He tosses the bottle up. “I stink too, I’ll wash with you.”

Minhyung’s face grows warm. “O-oh, uh, I don’t really know…”

The genie rolls his eyes. “I’m not gonna peek at you or somethin’. I’m not some creep, you know. I’ll just, I dunno, make it real foggy so we can’t see each other.”

Minhyung shifts on his feet. “Okay, I guess that works.”

Gu circles Haechan’s head before there’s a flash of light that leaves dark spots dancing in Minhyung’s vision. When his surroundings return to him, he sees Haechan wrapping the fish in a cloth, humming to himself. He stands dumbly, waiting for him to be done. It reminds him vaguely of waiting for his mother to finish talking with her friends at the market. His toes curl into the sand. Haechan packs the fish into the bowl and stands, wiping his hands on his pants with a grin.

“Alright!” He claps. “Bath time!”

He sets toward the river while Minhyung follows behind, his feet dragging. Surely it isn’t that big of a deal, bathing in the river with Haechan. He used to bathe with other kids all the time when he was younger. It’s exactly the same, but twelve years later and with a genie. 

When he looks up from his feet, Haechan is naked. The noise Minhyung makes is one he would otherwise be embarrassed by, but he’s too busy scrambling to cover his eyes to worry. Haechan laughs.

“You’re such a virgin, Lee Minhyung. It’s just a butt.” Minhyung listens as Haechan wades into the water, keeping his hands over his eyes. “Alright, you can look now.”

He peeks through his fingers before he drops his hands. “I don’t trust you anymore,” he calls. “What if you try to peek?”

He can feel the attitude in the way Haechan doesn’t respond so he gives up, pulling his clothes off and folding them on the ground beside Haechan’s rumpled pants. The fog is a little bit too dense, and he can barely see two feet in front of him as he blindly makes his way into the water, his arms stretched out.

“Okay, I’m in. Where are you?” A hand wraps around his arm and he shrieks, jumping back. “Why did you do that?!”

“I need the bath wash.” Haechan says, and his hand becomes visible as it lays palm up, waiting for the bottle. Minhyung drops it in his hand, afraid of seeing any more. “Thank you.”

Taeyang cries from somewhere on the bank and Minhyung clicks his tongue in reassurance as he wets his hair. The bottle floats from where Hechan has presumably finished washing and he quickly gets to work scrubbing the dirt and soot from his skin. The water sloshes against his chest as Haechan wades to the shore. Minhyung shakes his hair out of his eyes and does the same when he’s done. He stops short when the water is at his ankles. 

“What am I supposed to use to dry myself?”

“Use your clothes.” His shirt and pants get thrown blindly towards him and he has to reach to prevent them from dropping straight into the water. “You need some new ones, anyway.”

Confused, Minhyung steps fully out of the water and pats himself dry, keeping an eye out for Haechan. “Why do I need new clothes? I just got these.”

“Y’all dress differently than in China. If you walked over there wearin’ your clothes from here, you wouldn’t last a day.”

“So where am I going to get the right thing to wear? Are you going to make me rob someone?”

“You have a genie, Lee Minhyung. You’re not going to rob anyone, I’m going to give you new clothes.” Another pile of fabrics is thrown his way. He pulls his trousers on over the robe and ties it together with the sash, praying he’s done it correctly. He grips the bath wash in one hand and his jacket in the other, feeling around for Haechan.

When he touches him, the fog disappears and he meets the genie’s eyes. He’s smiling widely, trying not to laugh. “Hullo. You look ridiculous.”

“What…?” Minhyung steps back. Haechan is dressed similarly to him, with a green robe rather than Minhyung’s black one. He’s wearing a rice hat and straw sandals. 

“You go over there lookin’ like that and they’ll throw you in the river,” he says, stepping closer. He takes the bath wash from his hand, dropping it into the bag, and unties the sash around Minhyung’s waist and pulls the robe from his pants. “The left panel goes over the right,” he explains as he works. “And the sash is tied around the robe alone. Your pants’ll stay up by themselves. And don’t carry the jacket around like that, you look like a delinquent.”

Minhyung pulls the jacket over his shoulders, eyes wide. “Honestly, Haechan, what would I do without you?”

“Honestly, Lee Minhyung, I don’t know,” the genie teases as he steps back and admires his work. “Much better. You’re almost a perfect Chinaman.”

“Almost?”

“Well, you don’t know Chinese, for starters.” Haechan leans down and picks up the food bowl. “That’ll make a pretty big difference on the other side of the river.”

“Oh, right.” Minhyung watches Haechan scan the area for any other things to grab. “Wait, where’s Gu?”

The genie grins. “I forgot to show you! Look!” He pulls his jacket back from his chest to reveal an inner pocket. Minhyung pouts; he doesn’t have any inner pockets on his jacket. “I disguised Gu!”

Sure enough, inside the pocket, a tiny head peeks out, blinking up at Minhyung. He startles. “What is that?”

“It’s a nightjar!” Haechan cheers quietly. “He’s a little nocturnal bird, isn’t he cute?”

“I mean, I guess.” Minhyung had never seen any birds but the ones that tried to steal his fish. He reaches out and scritches the top of his head with his pointer finger. 

“We’re both gonna pretend you didn’t say that,” Haechan huffs. “Are you ready to get going?”

Minhyung draws in a sharp breath. He clenches and unclenches his fists at his sides and nods. “Yeah, I think so.”

The genie nods his head toward the bag at their feet. “There’s a pair of sandals for you in there. You carry that and I’ll carry the food.”

He starts north, Taeyang bounding happily after him. Minhyung looks back toward the remains of his hut one last time, feeling his chest grow tight. With a sigh, he pulls the sandals from the bag and kicks his feet into them. He heaves the bag over his shoulder and jogs to catch up with Haechan. The sun is beginning to set and he’s surprised at how long they’d spent at the river. The sunset isn’t nearly as marvelous as the sunrise had been that morning, but the light still bounces off of Haechan’s skin beautifully. He wishes he’d take off his hat.

When they reach the foot of the bridge, Minhyung hesitates, and Haechan pauses on the first step up. “Second thoughts so soon?” Minhyung shakes his head. “Well, c’mon then, it’ll only get harder the longer you wait.”

Haechan holds out his hand for Minhyung to take and pulls him up the steps carefully. The movement forces the air out of his lungs and suddenly, it feels like there’s no returning to Sinuiju. His vision swims and he staggers, stepping on Taeyang’s tail and making her yelp. His hand has a vice grip on Haechan’s.

“Hey, hey, are you good?” He asks, pulling Minhyung from the steps so he doesn’t fall backwards. “Do you wanna sit down or somethin’?”

Minhyung nods and allows himself to be guided further onto the bridge. He can hear the river below them like he’s drowning in the water. It shouldn’t feel so hot this late in the evening. Haechan sets their food down and pulls the bag off of Minhyung’s shoulder before guiding him down beside him. It isn’t until he stops hyperfocusing on the sound of the water and can hear Haechan shushing him that he realises he’s hyperventilating.

“What’s happening?” He gasps, trembling. Taeyang lays her head in his lap, grumbling.

“You’re panicking,” Haechan begins. “You’re leaving your home and your country for the most dangerous place you could go. You’re preparin’ to face the country that killed the people you loved the most. It ain’t an easy thing to do.”

“The whole of China didn’t kill my family,” Minhyung protests, squeezing his eyes shut. “They’re as much afraid of us as we are of them.”

“Alright, alright, I was just tryin’ to give you the explanation you asked for.” Minhyung leans his head against the railing of the bridge, swallowing thickly. “Why don’t we spend the night up here? We can go the rest of the way tomorrow morning.”

“Yeah, alright.”

Haechan sets to work building a small fire for the both of them while Minhyung stares out across the water, rubbing at Taeyang’s ears. He’s stopped sweating, but the wind has begun to make him shiver. He can hear Haechan cursing under his breath as the flame dies again.

“Why don’t you just,” Minhyung waves a hand. “ _ Poof  _ a fire?”

Haechan laughs mockingly. “With Gu not in his true form, my abilities are kinda limited. I would,” he waves his hand similarly. “ _ Poof  _ one if I could.”

Minhyung pushes Taeyang off his lap and crawls over. “Let me do it, then.”

“No,” the genie whines. “How am I ever gonna evolve as a species if I can’t even make a fire?”

“Well, I’d like to not be cold.” Minhyung snatches the tools from Haechan’s hands. “You want to have something small to light on top of the wood as a fire starter,” he explains, looking around. He pulls some old moss from the railing. He strikes the flint against the rock and sucks his teeth when the spark shoots elsewhere. “It’s a good thing you thought to pack this when we left.”

He holds his hands closer to the moss. “Cup your hands around, yeah, like that.” With Haechan blocking the wind, he strikes the stones together again and the spark lands neatly on top of the moss. 

He leans down quickly to blow into it, nursing the flame to life. When it begins to eat up the moss he picks it up and fits it snugly between the sticks Haechan had gathered from around the bridge. He tends to the flame for another minute before the wood lights, and the fire begins to burn pleasantly. Haechan looks up at him with wide eyes.

“That’s so cool! How do you do that?”

Minhyung shrugs. “Nine years of doing it alone does the trick, I guess.” He can feel himself turning pink under the genie’s gaze. “Let’s eat some of that fish you dried.”

It’s fairly bland without seasoning, but Minhyung’s stomach hasn’t felt so full in years. Taeyang whines between Haechan’s legs until he drops a strip into her mouth and she scrambles up to chew on it a few feet away. When the sky darkens, Gu leaves Haechan’s pocket and sets off into the sky to do some hunting. The fire doesn’t do much in terms of keeping them warm, it being so small, but Minhyung can still flex his fingers over the flame to bring back some feeling.

“Are you feelin’ a little better?” Haechan asks as he picks at his teeth. “Wanna sleep?”

“Minhyung nods. “Yeah, I’m feeling much better. Maybe getting some sleep is a good idea, though. Do you want me to wrap the–”

“Shh!” Haechan’s hand slaps over his mouth. He mutters something under his breath and the flame dies instantly, leaving them in near total darkness. Minhyung looks at him, eyes wide. He shakes his head and tries to speak from behind his hand. “I can’t hear them, Lee Minhyung. I can feel them in the wood.”

Minhyung’s heart is no longer beating calmly in his chest. He’s worried Haechan can hear it as they stare into the darkness. To their right, he hears the wood creak beneath another person’s weight. Taeyang begins to growl and Haechan reaches forward to wrap his other hand around her snout, hissing at her to be quiet. 

Before Minhyung can blink, he’s being pulled away from Haechan and pinned to the ground. Legs settle on either side of his ribs and there’s a hand curling around his neck. Haechan is shouting, and Taeyang is barking wildly. The person above him begins speaking in a language he can’t understand and he silently curses the genie for not having given him the Chinese knowledge. There’s another pair of hands roaming over his body, patting him down. He writhes beneath them, trying to kick the hands away, but a blow to the jaw sends his head flying against the wood, knocking the air out of his lungs.

Haechan is now speaking in their language, and Minhyung can see the outline of someone straddling him as well. There’s a snarl, a shout, and suddenly the people on top of him are gone. He lifts his head when Taeyang cries and sees someone dragging her towards them by her tail. His blood freezes when they reach behind them and pull a knife on her. He can feel his throat straining as he yells, but he can’t hear his voice. Tears spring to his eyes when he hears Taeyang yelp in pain.

There’s a flash, and then Haechan is kneeling over him, holding his face. Gu is in his original form, whirling around Haechan’s head and Minhyung can see a bruise forming on his temple. His lip is bleeding; he reaches up and wipes at it with his thumb.

“...Lee Minhyung, can you hear me?” It sounds like he’s underwater, but he nods slowly and closes his eyes. “No, I need you to keep your eyes open for me, okay? Can you do that?”

“Where’s Taeyang?” Minhyung shoots up, suddenly remembering the last thing he’d seen. Haechan sucks in a sharp breath. “Haechan, where is she?”

“I don’t know,” he whispers. “I saw them pull the knife out and I lost it. She was gone by the time I got them to leave.” Minhyung’s eyes go wide. Gone, as in…? “I don’t know if she’s dead or alive. She ran off somewhere after they hurt her.”

Minhyung moves to say something but the sharp pain in his head makes his vision go dark, and then there are hands on his chest, laying him back down.

“You’re not lookin’ great,” the genie begins. “When they hit you, your head slammed pretty hard against the railing. You probably have a concussion.”

Minhyung barely knows what that means, but he closes his eyes and nods anyway. His jaw throbs where he’s been punched and his heart has yet to regain control in his chest. “Did they take anything?”

Haechan is quiet for a moment. “They took everything. The lamp, too.”

Minhyung’s heart clenches. They have no weapons, no food, no lamp. Their dog is missing, and they’ve just gotten the daylights beaten out of them. A hot tear streams down his cheek and drops into the shell of his ear. “Why does everything keep going wrong? Can’t I just get one thing to go well?”

Haechan sighs. Slowly, gently, he lies down and settles his head on Minhyung’s chest. “I don’t know, Lee Minhyung. I’m doing my best for you, too.”

It’s quiet after that. Minhyung continues to cry, but he’s grateful that Haechan doesn’t try to comfort him. He’s so tired, and his body won’t stop aching, but he’s afraid to go to sleep now. He’s afraid the people will come back and not have as much mercy on them. He’s afraid that Taeyang is dying somewhere, scared and alone. He’s afraid that meeting Haechan is the biggest mistake he’s ever made. He’s afraid to fall asleep, but with Haechan snoring on his chest and Gu glowing softly on his stomach, he falls asleep anyway.

He dreams of his mother’s laugh for the second night in a row. It’s warm and he’s sitting by the river, sticking his feet in the water and shivering and shrieking at the temperature. His toes, pudgy and the size of pine nuts, are red, and he presses them into the sand until they turn white. Lee Taeyang laughs as she stands in the water, holding her gown up with one hand and her husband’s fishing spear in the other. 

“Don’t let the crayfish get your toes,” she warns gently. Minhyung nods and turns his attention back to his feet. “While your father and I make dinner, why don’t you run into town and get us some pears? We can have them for dessert.”

A shock runs through his body, his stomach dropping. He knows what that means. In the time it will take him to reach the shops, his home will be up in flames and his parents will be dead. He shakes his head and looks toward his mother. She’s on fire, even as she stands in the water.

_ “Go, Minhyung." _


	3. THE BURNING HILL

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A gust of wind blows against their faces and cools the sweat on their foreheads, and as they close their eyes against the breeze, their pinkies reach for each other. It makes Minhyung’s heart skip a beat, to feel Haechan look for his hand as instinctually as Minhyung looks for his. He lets himself think for a moment, that Haechan’s heart skips a beat too. Their hands are clammy and warm and it’s uncomfortable, but if neither of them will pull away, then they won't let go until they absolutely must.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i got the name of the shop from the song 'a burning hill' by mitski. it's about learning to love life and accepting happiness in the smallest forms, and i think it kind of matches the mood of this chapter as a whole so :)))
> 
> you can listen to the song on the playlist i created for this story [here!](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/17R4TqySz4Bg3GHTwMdpv0?si=CcheARwLQxibBYXrCqSpoA)

He wakes with a gasp and pushes himself into a sitting position. The sky is bright, and he’s surprised to find that it’s already near midday. Haechan is awake, bustling around the area and stuffing a bird Gu back into his jacket pocket. Minhyung notices the cut on his lip is gone and he raises a hand to his own face. His jaw doesn’t ache anymore and the back of his head is no longer sore.

“You alright?” Haechan asks once he’s noticed him.

“I’m fine,” he grumbles, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. “Just a bad dream. Why didn’t you wake me?”

“Why would I?” The genie laughs like Minhyung has told him a joke. “We ain’t in any rush and you needed the time to heal after everything that happened yesterday.” Minhyung’s stomach rumbles and Haechan smiles suddenly. “Look! I went and caught some more fish while you were sleeping!”

To his left, sure enough, is a cloth laid out with dried fish arranged in a neat line. Eagerly, Minhyung takes a strip and begins eating. It tastes like ginger and garlic and chili, and it’s so delicious that it brings tears to his eyes. The catfish from last night falls dull in comparison. Haechan watches him eat with a grin.

“So,” Minhyung begins once he swallows. “You didn’t happen to find Taeyang, did you?”

Haechan’s smile disappears quickly. “I didn’t. I spent nearly an hour lookin’ for her, too.” He flicks a twig off the bridge and sighs. “I don’t wanna say it, but–”

“Then don’t say it,” Minhyung interrupts. His heart feels heavy and he’s no longer hungry, but he finishes off the strip and stands. “We should get going. I’d like to find work as soon as possible.”

“Yeah, alright.” Haechan stands and pats the dirt from his pants. “Shall we, then?”

Minhyung shakes his head. “I still need to learn Chinese.”

The genie’s eyes go wide and he laughs nervously. “Oh, right!” He steps closer. “You gonna kiss me this time or should I forget about it?” Minhyung says nothing and Haechan shakes his head, sighing again. “Dunno why I even bothered that time. Okay, Lee Minhyung, what is your second wish?”

He chews on the inside of his cheek as he contemplates his wording. “I wish to live in China under an alias, with perfect knowledge of the Chinese language. I want an inconspicuous life that keeps me safe.”

“Inconspicuous is a pretty big word.” Minhyung gives him a sharp look and the genie’s hands come up in surrender. “Alright, sorry, I’m sorry. Lee Minhyung, your wish is my command.”

He really should stop expecting something wildly fascinating to happen when his wishes are granted. There’s no tingling in his fingertips, a rush in his bloodstream, nor is there a flash of brilliant green light similar to when Haechan does anything else magical. He feels exactly as he did ten seconds ago.

“Now, because Korean is your native language, it will take a little bit of concentration at first to not speak that instead,” Haechan jumps straight into an explanation, counting his points on his fingers. “You probably haven’t noticed, but I’m speaking to you in Chinese right now–” Minhyung had not noticed. “–understanding people will be easy enough, but your roots will tempt you to respond in Korean rather than Chinese. As long as you’re aware and remaining cautious, things will be just fine. And quickly, it will become natural to respond in Chinese.”

“Wow,” Minhyung whispers. His eyebrows furrow in concentration as he thinks,  _ Chinese, Chinese, Chinese.  _ “Am I...am I doing it now?”

Haechan grins and claps his shoulder. “It’s perfect! Now let’s see about you finding some work.”

“How hard do you think it will be?”

“I don’t know,” Haechan hums. “This district seems to be flourishing, it really could go either way.”

Minhyung doesn’t say anything as they move further into the bustling crowd. There’s energy thrumming in his veins, and he can feel anxiety bleed out of him with every exhale. People nod in his direction and he nods back, chewing his lips to hide his ever-growing smile. He realises, belatedly, that he isn’t afraid of living in China. A hand smacks at his arm and grabs his sleeve and he’s forced to stop walking, looking back at Haechan with a frown. His eyes are wide and Minhyung tries to follow his gaze, confused and steadily becoming concerned. Something slaps against his leg and he cries out, jumping back and looking down. At his feet, panting happily and tongue lolling out of her mouth, is Taeyang.

“Oh my god, Haechan!” Minhyung falls to his knees and hugs around Taeyang’s neck, laughing when she licks into his ear. “She’s alive, she’s alive!”

The genie hushes him, giving a subtle look around. No one is giving the two of them a second glance, simply walking around them and going about their business. He finally kneels beside Minhyung with a wide smile and begins massaging Taeyang’s ears. There’s a nasty cut in the center of her chest, the fur around it matted down with dried blood and dirt, but it’s nothing to Haechan as he presses a hand over the wound and heals it. Taeyang jerks and whines at the action and Minhyung frowns. But she’s quickly lunging toward Haechan, licking at his face as he laughs.

“Let’s move out of the way,” Minhyung whispers. His eyes dart around the crowd of feet and he spots a rope lying abandoned in the dirt. He snatches it up as they move through the people to lean against the wall of a shop and ties it loosely around Taeyang’s neck. 

“Shit,” the genie hisses. “I forgot to come up with a fake name for you.”

“What?”

“I can’t go around calling you Lee Minhyung, can I?” He huffs. “I’d meant to do it last night so you’d have time to adjust, but obviously I wasn’t able to do that. How quickly can you adapt?”

“I don’t know! I’ve only ever gone by one name!”

Haechan hums and taps at his chin. “Your name from this point on is Liu Munu.”

“Liu Munu,” he tests the name on his tongue. “I think I can do that. What about you? Haechan is still Korean.”

“My Chinese name is Li Tiaoning.” Minhyung’s eyes go wide. “It’s not my given name, so don’t worry about that. Take a minute to get used to those, alright? We can’t afford any slip-ups.”

Minhyung repeats both names under his breath a few times before nodding his head. “What about Taeyang?”

They’re quiet for a moment. “Genji,” Haechan offers. “It isn’t perfect, but it has a similar meaning.”

“No, I like it,” Minhyung assures. “Genji.” He smiles.

Haechan smiles back, sweetly, and Minhyung can feel it in his chest. “Well, Liu Munu, let’s  _ really  _ find you a job now.”

Minhyung grips the leash tightly and stands, nodding his head. Haechan pulls his hat over his hair and begins to whistle, walking into the crowd. Minhyung follows close behind, keeping his eyes trained on his feet. People are taking notice of them now, and he can hear their murmurs of interest at the new boys in Zhenxing.

“Excuse me.” A hand on his shoulder makes Minhyung freeze. Ahead of him, Haechan also stops walking and turns, his face cool but eyes darting between the two of them uneasily. The man in front of them is large, gruff looking, and dirty. He smells like the cows behind him. But at his side is a young girl, around Minhyung’s age. She holds the man’s arm and looks at Minhyung with inquisitive eyes. “Who are you boys? Don’t think I’ve seen you around before.”

“Um.” Minhyung gulps.  _ Chinese.  _ “My name is Liu Munu. That’s Tiaoning behind me, and this is Genji.” The new name makes her look up at him curiously, but she sits anyway, her tail wagging.

“Huh.” The man sticks his tongue out of the corner of his mouth and eyes them. Haechan moves beside Minhyung, smiling and bowing politely. “You new, then?”

“Yes sir,” Haechan speaks for the both of them. “We’ve just come from Yuanbao. We’re hoping to find work in Zhenxing.”

The man’s eyebrows raise. “You’re from close by, then! What made you leave Yuanbao?”

“Our parents died.” Haechan’s gaze slides to Minhyung. “There was nothing for us to take up after their death, so we left.”

“Oh, that’s terrible, I apologise for asking.” The man bows. “My name is Heng Baining and this is my daughter, Shuying.” He looks between the two of them again. “Do you have somewhere to stay?”

“We were actually just trying to find work before we found somewhere to live,” Minhyung says, and Baining clicks his tongue.

“I have a friend whose son owns a shop a little ways down the road. He’s been looking for delivery boys for nearly a month now.”

“Really?” Minhyung feels his skin light up. “That would be amazing! We’ve just lost all of our money–”

“Now it won’t pay you much,” Baining chuckles. “He lives comfortably, but he isn’t rich. He has a room above his shop that I’m sure he would be more than happy to let you stay in. The place is called The Burning Hill, you won’t be able to miss it. Just let the owner know Baining sent you.”

“Really, thank you so much.” Haechan bows deeply. “You’ve just saved our lives.”

“Of course.” He winks and turns to leave. “I might see a lot of you two, as we frequent The Burning Hill. Shall we, Shuying?”

Minhyung lets out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding as he watches the two of them leave. Shuying looks over her shoulder and smiles when she meets Minhyung’s eyes. Haechan elbows him in the ribs.

“Would you stop ogling the girl?” He hisses. “We need to get to that shop.”

“I just had a whole conversation in Chinese! With someone that wasn’t you!” Haechan shakes his head and speeds up, looking around at the buildings. Minhyung clicks his tongue and tugs gently on the rope to pull Genji along, frowning. The genie has stuffed his hands in his pockets in an attempt to look cool and intimidating. Minhyung thinks he looks stupid.

The Burning Hill certainly isn’t easy to miss. It’s big and browning with age and looks like it could crumble to the ground at any moment, sticking out like a sore thumb among the newer, white clay buildings. There’s a man standing outside and talking animatedly to someone, gesturing with the broom in his hand. He catches sight of the two of them and Minhyung feels his cheeks grow warm when he smiles brightly at them, finishing up his conversation. They approach quietly as the man bids the stranger farewell and watches them depart with a smile. He finally turns his attention toward them.

“Hello! Can I help you with anything?”

Minhyung opens his mouth to answer, but Haechan beats him to it. “Good afternoon,” he greets, bowing. Minhyung clumsily follows. “We’ve just arrived from Yuanbao and spoke to Heng Baining down the road? He said you might have a job to offer us–”

“Ah, Heng Baining!” The man throws his head back and laughs. “He’s always sending boys to the shop. He thinks I need help.” Minhyung feels himself sag and the man’s eyes go wide. “He’s not wrong, I do need help! Sorry, I must have made it seem like I meant otherwise. I can always use a couple of delivery boys. What are your names?”

“I’m Liu Munu, this is Li Tiaoning and our dog, Genji,” Minhyung introduces them, and the tips of his ears glow red when the man smiles and shakes his hand.

“Nice to meet you, my name is Qian Kun. Would you like to come inside?”

The two of them follow Kun inside after tying Genji to a post outside, ducking beneath the large plant hanging in the doorway. The interior of The Burning Hill is much nicer than the exterior. It’s tidier and looks freshly remodelled. The shelves at the front of the shop are lined with jars of honey, vinegar, and oil. Closer to the back, there are bags of rice and barley, and lining the top of those shelves are rolls of cloth. Garlic and ginger hands from the ceiling near the windows, and smaller herbs are hung near the counters. Minhyung breathes in and it smells like a garden.

“I tend to deliver to the elders around the district, as they’re often too old and too fragile to walk to the shops. There are a few heavily pregnant women and disabled people I deliver to as well,” Kun begins. “However, that means I have to close the shop during the day in order to make such deliveries. While I haven’t experienced any robberies, I’ve received a few complaints from customers.”

“So you’d like us to deliver to people in the district?” Haechan asks. 

Kun nods. “Yes, that would be lovely. On some days, I may have you tend to the store so I can deliver some packages and visit a few old friends. On busier days, one of you will do deliveries and one of you will stay behind and help me out here.” Minhyung secretly hopes he can stay at the shop.

“Now, I do only have one room upstairs, as I sleep in the other one some nights. But since you two came together, I can assume you won’t mind sharing?” They shake their heads and Kun claps, beaming. “Perfect! I do have one last request. The shop is closed on Sundays and Mondays, and I spend Sundays tending to the back garden. I simply ask that you help me out back there, pulling weeds, collecting eggs from the chickens, and occasionally planting and harvesting. Mondays will be your day to go and explore Zhenxing. Does that sound okay to you?”

“I think it sounds perfect,” Haechan says. “Thank you so much, sir.”

“Please, call me Ge,” he insists with a smile. “I can’t be that much older than you. Now, bring that dog of yours around through the side gate so she can meet the chickens. I have six!”

Minhyung is quick to retrieve an excited Genji from the front. Haechan stands by the side gate to let them in and stops Minhyung while Genji darts into the garden, yapping.

“You’ve got chickens!” He whispers in Korean. Minhyung’s heart does a flip and he looks over Haechan’s shoulder, but Kun is nowhere in sight. “And it’s gorgeous back here! Never in my life have I seen somethin’ so beautiful!”

Gently, Minhyung reaches up and pulls at his cheek. “Chinese, Tiaoning. Have you forgotten already?” Haechan blushes at the action and Minhyung brushes past him to enter the garden.

And it is beautiful. There are roses and camellias making up the bulk of the flowers. On either side of the back door is a group of three orchid plants. Minhyung has never seen an orchid in real life. While he’d marvelled at the drawings and paintings he’d seen in books, they could never compare to the real thing. When he finally tears his eyes from the flowers, they find the planting boxes in the corner of the garden. There’s eggplant and bok choy growing on one side and ginger and garlic growing on another. Bitter melon has its own planter box. A rooster putters around, clucking occasionally. In the back of his mind, Minhyung wonders where the other chickens are.

“This is my oldest cock, Shí.” Kun gestures to the bird. “He’s terrible, and I hate him. He needs to be outside of the coop or else he picks fights with the others.”

“Why haven’t you gotten rid of him, then?” Minhyung asks.

“I do still love him,” he laughs. “I’ve had him for nearly six years so I’ve grown attached, even though he can be a pain.” Shí nips at this finger. “Ow, you bastard.” Haechan stifles a laugh and Kun glares, but there’s no fire behind it. “The coop is over to the side. I let them out in the mornings and evenings, but they mostly like to stay in to avoid him.”

Minhyung hums. Shí’s head turns toward him and he startles, taking a step back. Genji whines, her body twitching to move. Kun smiles and coos encouragingly at her so Minhyung taps his foot against her backside. She shoots off toward Shí, who clucks wildly and attempts to escape. Minhyung worries for a moment that she’s going to rip him apart, but she finally slows to a trot and follows the rooster as he skitters away.

Haechan knocks their shoulders together. “You’re always so afraid she’s going to do something bad, aren’t you?”

“I can’t help it,” he whines. “We  _ did  _ get her off the side of the road. I don’t think she even knows her name.”

“Genji!” She freezes and looks over her shoulder, leaving Shí to run. Her tail begins to wag at the sight of them and she turns, bounding across the grass to them. “She’s fine, see?” His voice gets quieter. “Genie things. Training animals is over before you can blink.”

Kun is watching them from across the garden with a smile and Minhyung feels himself grow self-conscious. “I guess,” he mumbles.

“Do you want me to show you your room?” Kun asks. “Genji can stay back here.”

“Yes please!” Haechan says, skipping to the back door. He stops in the doorway and grins at Minhyung. “You coming, Liu Munu?”

He sighs and follows the genie inside. There’s a kitchen in the back of the shop that he hadn’t noticed before, and they cross through it to reach a steep staircase. “Again, I only sleep here on late nights, as I do have my own home to tend to,” Kun informs as they climb the steps. “You two can serve as extra security for the shop.”

The room is small, but large enough to fit a mattress and a small wooden table and still have space to move around. There’s a window above the bed, which Minhyung looks out of to observe the bustling below. Children play tag in the street while their mothers talk outside of the shops, and he feels a pang in his chest. It looks an awful lot like his own childhood.

“I’ll let you two get comfortable with the room!” Kun says. “I won’t have you work today, but tomorrow I’ll give you some packages and a few routes. I don’t close up for a couple more hours, but I’ll have dinner ready after you come down. You must be hungry!”

With that, Kun turns on his heel and leaves the room, closing the door behind him. Minhyung can hear him already greeting a customer as he descends the steps. Haechan flops down on the bed with a moan.

“Good gods, this is the luckiest we’ve been so far,” he drawls, stretching across the mattress. “I haven’t slept on a bed in  _ years _ .”

Minhyung turns away from the window and takes a seat on the space Haechan has left on the bed. “I have a question for you.” The genie hums and closes his eyes. “Where is your accent? When we speak in Korean, you have one. So why don’t you when we speak in Chinese?”

“Chinese was the first language I ever spoke,” Haechan says. “I have the accent in Korean because it’s the second language I learned. Of course, learning another language is different for a genie, but I’ll always have an accent unless I’m speaking in Chinese.”

“Wait, that doesn’t make any sense,” Minhyung accuses and one of Haechan’s eyes opens. “You look Korean and your real name is Korean. Why would Chinese be your first language?”

The genie sighs. “Taoism originated in China, which means all genies do as well. However, different genies are made for different countries, as beauty standards and language vary from place to place. I was created for Korea, which is why I look the way I do and am able to speak the language. If I’d been created for Thailand or, I don’t know, Russia, I’d look different according to their standards. But, I would still have an accent speaking their native language.”

“Oh.” Minhyung stares across the room blankly. “I guess that makes sense.”

“Of course it makes sense,” Haechan groans, pulling Minhyung down to lay with him. “Almost anything can make sense if you have the right person to explain it to you. Now, I think we should take a nap.”

“But I’m not tired,” Minhyung says. If Haechan can see how read his cheeks are at their proximity, he doesn’t say anything about it. Instead, he swings a leg over his waist to lock him in place. “Wait, Tiaoning, oh my god. Where’s Gu?”

“Oh, I let him out of my jacket while you were untying Genji earlier,” he mumbles into his neck. “Don’t worry, he’s not being crushed under our weight.”

Several questions run through Minhyung’s mind. “But where is he?”

“You talk too much. He’s probably nesting somewhere. He’s nocturnal. No, Genji will not eat him without us watching them, she knows it’s him. He’ll come when I want him,” he huffs. “Now, please shut up. I’m tired and this bed is very comfortable.”

Minhyung sighs and turns his head toward the wall. Haechan falls asleep wondrously fast and is soon snoring softly against his neck. Minhyung wonders if genies really do need sleep; this one seems so tired all the time. He shifts, hoping to wriggle himself out of bed and go talk to Kun some more, but Haechan’s leg tightens around his waist, effectively trapping him.

“Haechan, Li Tiaoning, you are going to be the death of me.”

He closes his eyes, figuring he might as well try to nap with him. The nightmare from the night before replays behind his eyelids and it plants a seed of discomfort in his stomach. He wonders when he’ll stop being afraid to go to sleep.

Haechan shakes at his arm and Minhyung opens his eyes, blinking up at him. “Alright, I’m ready to go down.”

Minhyung is puzzled. “You were asleep for like four minutes.”

It’s Haechan’s turn to look confused. “More like four hours? The sun is setting.” He stands and pulls Minhyung up from the mattress. He looks out the window and sure enough, the sky is significantly darker. He feels perfectly unrested. Haechan keeps their hands together and hums to himself as he leads the two of them downstairs. Kun is locking the front door when they enter the shop and he jumps when he notices them.

“I’m going to have to get used to you two being here,” he chuckles, rubbing a hand over his chest. He begins making his way toward the kitchen. “I have pork, shall I make some fried rice?”

“Oh, yes please!” Haechan beams.

“Munu, there’s a cool well out back next to the chicken coop. Would you mind grabbing the pork belly? It should be at the top.”

Minhyung nods and peels Haechan’s hand from his own to enter the garden. The air is significantly warmer and stickier outside, and he keeps in the shade on his way to the cool well. Genji wakes from her nap and her tail thumps against the grass as she watches Minhyung, but she doesn’t move from her spot in the light. Shí pays him no mind, pecking around the flowers and ruffling his feathers. 

The rest of the chickens begin to cluck at the sight of him. The smell of the coop is sour and makes Minhyung’s nose wrinkle, so he makes quick work of drawing the basket up the well. The ice around the meat begins to melt rapidly at the exposure to the heat, but the pork belly is folded neatly at the top, just as Kun had promised. The back of his neck has grown clammy by the time he makes it back inside where Kun and Haechan are having an animated conversation. They grow quiet at his arrival and Minhyung squirms, uneasy.

“Ah, thank you, Munu.” Kun takes the meat from his hands with a smile. “Tiaoning and I were just discussing how the two of you met!”

“Oh?” Minhyung’s throat tightens and he sneaks a look at the genie. “What did he tell you?”

“Don’t worry, Liu Munu,” Haechan teases as he throws an arm around his shoulder. “I left out all the embarrassing details about you. Remember when you saved me from drowning when we were little? It must have been twelve years ago at this point, and you haven’t gotten a break from me since.”

“You were a very brave boy, according to this one.” Kun points a knife at the genie. “He seems very fond of you.”

Haechan laughs nervously. “I never said that.” He looks at Minhyung, whose cheeks are beginning to feel warm. “I never said that.”

“It’s alright, Tiaoning, I’m sure he knows how much you love him.”

Haechan crosses his arms over his chest and looks away, pouting. Minhyung catches sight of the jade inking on his wrists and yearns to touch it. 

They offer to help cook dinner, but Kun refuses, beckoning for them to take a seat at the table. They watch in relative silence, letting the sizzling of the meat cover up any awkwardness lingering between them. A few times, Minhyung manages to get a small conversation going with Kun, but he’s quickly distracted by flipping the pork or making sure the rice isn’t burning. He finally allows them to fetch bowls and chopsticks once he’s finished.

The food is delicious. Minhyung and Haechan lean back in their chairs after they’ve cleared their bowls and sigh happily. Haechan pats at Minhyung’s stomach with a smile before standing and stretching his arms above his head. He pretends not to notice the jewel in his belly button as he does so. Kun has already excused himself to tend to the chickens, but Haechan leans close to speak either way.

“I would say this is the best wish I’ve ever granted,” he singsongs, caging Minhyung in his seat. “I don’t know what you could possibly wish for next.”

Minhyung knows what he’s implying and he focuses his eyes over the genie’s shoulder, chewing the inside of his cheek. He can feel the urgency in the way Haechan is looking at him. With a few words, he could disappear from Minhyung’s life completely. Something about the idea makes him ache.

“I don’t know either,” he finally croaks. “I don’t think I’m ready for you to leave.”

Haechan pushes himself up, frowning. “Where did you get the idea that I’d leave? I’m happy here, too.” But he doesn’t wait for an answer. “I’m going to find where Gu is nesting. Will you be in the garden later?”

It’s more of a demand than it is a question, so Minhyung nods, swallowing thickly as Haechan and Kun cross paths. Kun gives him a smile and sets to work cleaning up their dinner mess, humming quietly to himself. He doesn’t move, trying to look at that conversation from every possible viewpoint. But no matter how he looks at it, Minhyung feels it boil uncomfortably in his stomach.

Haechan is the Jade Genie. He’s known infamously to be sly and cunning and manipulative. What if he’s lying for the chance to escape like he had with Eunsang? There’s no way someone as powerful as him could feel something for Minhyung, either. Not when he’s had richer, handsomer men at his feet. The Jade Genie doesn’t do love.

He stands abruptly, nearly knocking his stool back. Kun looks up with wide eyes that immediately soften at the sight of Minhyung.

“Are you alright, Munu? You look ill.”

“Um.” He thinks about Haechan, sitting out back in the grass, waiting for him to join him. “I...I think I might go to bed early. I’m not feeling well.”

Frowning, Kun wipes his hands on a cloth and presses one to Minhyung’s forehead. “You don’t have a fever. Was it the food?”

“No, no!” He shakes his head quickly, stepping back. “The food was delicious, thank you. We’ve just—we travelled a long ways and we weren’t always treated with the most kindness by those we met along the way. I feel tired, is all.”

Kun nods, a sad look on his face. “I understand. You go up and get some sleep, and I’ll let Tiaoning know you aren’t feeling well. I’ll go ahead and prepare a route for the two of you tomorrow, but if you are still unwell in the morning, I won’t make you work.”

Minhyung attempts to smile. “I’m sure I’ll be better tomorrow, but thank you.” He bows, his cheeks glowing. “I hope you know how grateful I am for your kindness thus far. We’re still only strangers, but you’ve taken us under your care with few questions.”

“You two remind me of my brothers.” There’s an invisible blow to Minhyung’s chest. “Always bickering with each other, but so very sweet beneath it all.” A sad look falls onto his face. “Never mind that, though. Go get some sleep, will you?”

Minhyung bows one more time and turns to leave. He catches sight of Haechan through the backdoor. His lips are moving, but his eyes are shut, and it occurs to him that he might be singing. He wonders absently what his voice is like. Is it as beautiful as the rest of him? He quickly shakes the thought from his mind and continues to move, afraid of being caught by the very person he’s trying to avoid. He can only hope he’s lucky enough to be asleep before Haechan comes upstairs. 

Slowly, he climbs the steps and shuffles into their room, shutting the door. The sun is barely coming in through the window above the bed, but Minhyung still undoes the sash around his waist and shucks off his jacket to create a curtain. He kicks his shoes off and falls onto the mattress, groaning at the dull ache in his spine. He stretches his limbs out until his feet dangle off the edge of the bed and he sticks his hands under his pillow to create a better angle for his head. He can feel exhaustion finally seeping into his bones, despite the nap he’d had just over an hour ago. He sends out a small prayer that he doesn’t have another nightmare before he lets his eyes flutter shut. 

There’s a light knock on the door that startles him from the brink of sleep. He turns to face the wall and closes his eyes again before Haechan creeps into the room. Minhyung keeps his breathing even as the genie crosses the floor and takes a seat behind him, resting a hand on Minhyung’s back. 

“Lee Minhyung?” He slips into Korean as he whispers. “You were gonna meet me in the garden, what happened?”

He says nothing, staying still as Haechan sits and hopes for a response. The air around them is tense; a part of Minhyung fears he knows he isn’t asleep. A thumb rubs over his shoulder blade one more time before Haechan stands with a sigh. 

“I’ll be up later, alright? If you wanna talk then.”

There’s shuffling, a door opening and closing, and then Minhyung is left alone once again. When he opens his eyes, the sash he’d left in a heap on the floor is rolled up neatly and resting on Haechan’s pillow. There’s a pang in his chest that he fights to ignore as he closes his eyes again. He hopes he won’t have to pretend when Haechan comes back.

He falls into a dreamless sleep, one that makes him feel far away and vacant. He longs to see his mother or his father, or even Haechan in the blank white space of his mind. But no one comes, and the cold winds of his loneliness chill him to the bone and shake him awake, where he’s almost too warm.

It’s dim in the room and Haechan has his arm and leg caging him against the wall. He’s breathing heavily, fast sleep, and radiating heat against Minhyung. He longs to shove him away and tear off the rest of his clothes in order to cool down, but as if he’s read his mind, Haechan tightens around him, a whine unfurling in his throat. Minhyung sighs through his nose and feels his chest begin to ache again. Guilt knocks around the walls of his stomach when he recalls the genie’s attempts to talk to him only hours ago.

He manages to shimmy onto his back without waking Haechan and stares up at the ceiling. He won’t be able to fall asleep again at this rate, and he wants nothing more than to peel the burning body from himself so he can go for a walk before the rest of the city wakes. But a rooster crowing loudly makes Minhyung jump and Haechan wake with a start.

“Is it time to get up already?” He mumbles sleepily.

“No, it can’t be, it’s–” Minhyung rises to his knees and pulls his jacket from the window, looking outside. An old woman is opening her windows while a younger girl steps into the street with a broom. He looks to his left, and Kun is strolling down the road to the shop, lost in conversation with someone. 

“Sunrise already.” Haechan yawns and stretches his arms above his head. “Feel like I only slept for a couple minutes.”

“Yeah.” Minhyung avoids his eye as he crawls out of bed, moving to put on his shoes. 

“Kun showed me the water pump before he left last night,” Haechan begins, eyeing Minhyung shyly. “He told me we can use it to wash up, and he said he’d bring us some fresh clothes when he returned in the morning.”

Downstairs, the front bell rings as Kun enters the shop, whistling gleefully. Minhyung is quick to pick up his jacket and give Haechan one last look over his shoulder before leaving the room. He descends the steps and stops short when he catches sight of Shuying in the kitchen. She blushes at his state of undress.

“Oh, my apologies.” He bows and hides behind the door frame. “I didn’t realise you were the one Kun Ge was walking with. Good morning.”

“Good morning, Munu,” she greets, laughing. “Don’t apologise, I guess I’m trespassing in your home now.”

Minhyung opens his mouth to deny when Kun waltzes into the kitchen, holding a handful of camellias. “Ah, Munu! Good morning! Shuying is just here to buy some dumplings for her and her father’s lunch this afternoon.” He raises the flowers toward her, his cheeks dusting pink. “Camellia leaves make for a delicious morning tea as well.”

Minhyung nods, shifting his weight from foot to foot. “Um. Tiaoning told me we might use the water pump in the garden to wash up?”

“Yes! I’ve left some clothes out on the front counter for the two of you as well.”

Minhyung bows and shuffles out of the kitchen to retrieve the clothes. He leaves the green jacket for Haechan and takes the red set out back. Genji pants happily into his hand as he makes his way to the water pump, which is positioned on the left side of the garden and hidden behind a screen. At the base is a wooden bucket and a small white cloth. He throws his new clothes over the top of the screen and undresses quickly. 

“Camellias are also a flower that you would give to someone you love.” Haechan’s voice nearly makes Minhyung jump out of his skin. “I think Kun might like Shuying.”

“Li Tiaoning, you can not just sneak up on people like that!” Minhyung hisses, poking his head out from behind the screen. “You could have seen me naked!”

“But I didn’t,” he says with a grin. It quickly fades when he notices the unamused look on Minhyung’s face. “Right, sorry,” he mumbles. “I washed up last night, so you can take your time. I’ll get changed upstairs.”

He walks back inside quietly and Minhyung ducks back behind the screen, feeling guilty. He knows it’s a bad idea to have a strained relationship with a genie, but he can’t seem to shake the idea of being used to achieve freedom. He feels like he’s dancing with the devil, playing with Haechan.

Yet regardless of how determined Minhyung might be to avoid him, he can’t for the life of him seem to recall how to properly dress himself. He briefly considers asking Kun for help but remembers how suspicious it would be for a seemingly native Chinese man to not know how to get dressed. He feels shy when he pokes his head through the back door and clicks his tongue to get the genie’s attention.

“Sorry,” he murmurs. He’s sorry for a lot of things, and he hopes Haechan understands that much. “I need your help, please.”

His smile is soft as he putters outside after Minhyung. He helps him dress, quietly explaining as he goes along. Minhyung feels frozen under his hands and worries as he grazes across his chest that he can feel his heart hammering against his ribs. Haechan looks up at him once he’s finished tying the sash around Minhyung’s waist, and his hands still on the fabric. It’d be so easy now, to lean in and show Haechan everything he’s feeling with a press of his lips.

But Haechan clears his throat and steps back, patting Minhyung’s shoulders. “There you go, Liu Munu. Hopefully you were listening this time.” He wasn’t. “I think Kun has finished up our route for the day. Shall we?”

Feeling defeated, Minhyung nods and follows him back into the shop. Kun is saying his goodbyes to Shuying when they enter, and she pauses to bid farewell to the two of them before she makes her way out the door. Kun turns to them as soon as she’s gone, smiling widely. 

“She kissed my cheek!” He whispers. “I think she might like me!”

“I’m sure every person in China likes you Kun Ge,” Haechan teases. “I saw that you had a route for me and Munu?”

Kun snaps out of his daze and looks at Minhyung. “Are you feeling well enough to work today?” He nods. “Alright, if you’re sure. Now, it’s a little simple, as it’s only your first day, but I will be adding more as time goes. Because I’m giving you a place to stay and often cooking you two meals a day, I am not paying you a lot. One hundred wen a week between the two of you will pay for Genji’s needs as well as food for yourselves. You’re free to use the kitchen, just be sure to clean up after yourselves. If you’re eating light, one hundred wen will also pay for small non-essentials.”

Minhyung hums as he watches Kun pull a piece of parchment from behind the counter. “I’ve tried to make this as easy to understand as possible. But in case you get lost, you can always ask those around you for directions to the homes. Their names are written in the corner here.” He points to a small list of names. “Now, if you’ll follow me into the kitchen, there’s breakfast for you, as well as some packaged food and supplies you’ll be delivering.”

The two of them follow Kun into the kitchen and Minhyung’s stomach immediately growls at the sight of the food. Beside him, Haechan’s eyes widen. There are three bowls of rice porridge lined neatly on the table, and a platter of egg pancakes set in the middle. Minhyung and Haechan are quick to take their seats and dig in, ignoring the soft laugh of Kun behind them. The kettle whistles over the fire and soon there’s tea being set in front of them as well. Minhyung hasn’t felt this taken care of in years. 

They’ve finished eating by the time Kun has sat down to begin his meal and they bow in thanks before gathering up the packages they’re meant to deliver. Minhyung balances three in his arms and Haechan takes the remaining two, plucking the route from off the table.

“Don’t forget to check the labels on the packages!” Kun shouts through a mouthful of food as they head for the door. “They’ll be grumpy if they don’t get their correct orders! And don’t break anything!”

“Yes, sir!” Haechan calls, holding the door open for Minhyung to walk out. 

The streets are already bustling with life, despite the sun having just risen. The air outside is cool, but the sky is clear and the sun warms Minhyung’s skin, promising a hot day. Haechan saddles up next to him and squints down at the map.

“He didn’t exactly do the best job,” he huffs under his breath as his finger traces over the child-like drawing of the shop and follows the line to the closest house. “So, we need to go this way,” he turns the two of them around, “and Ao Aitan’s home should be just up there.”

Minhyung follows behind him silently, looking over the labels on his packages. Ao Aitan is scribbled onto the slip of paper attached to one of the crates in his arms. Haechan is whistling to himself as he walks, holding his own packages much more carelessly. His stomach jerks when a bag flops over Haechan’s arm, nearly spilling its contents all over the road.

“Li Tiaoning!” Minhyung scolds. “Kun said to be careful for a reason! We don’t know what’s in them, there could be something fragile!”

Haechan waves him off but readjusts his grip nonetheless. They arrive at the first house fairly quickly and knock on the door frame. An old man hobbles outside with a smile and a small pouch.

“Are you Ao Aitan?” Minhyung asks. “We’re delivering some packages for Qian Kun from The Burning Hill.”

“So he’s finally stopped trying to run that shop all by himself, huh?” The man chuckles and shakes his head. “That boy needs to get married already…Yes, I’m Aitan. Thank you for bringing this to me.” He trades Minhyung his package for the pouch of coins and looks through the small crate. “Looks like everything is in here. Thanks, you two.”

“Have a good rest of your day!” He bows as he steps back. Haechan offers the man a smile before turning his attention back toward Minhyung.

“I love watching you interact with people. You’re such a gentleman!” He coos and pulls at his cheek. “And your Chinese is so good!”

Minhyung bats his hand away, willing a blush from his cheeks. “Yeah, whatever. Where’s the next house?”

Huffing, Haechan unfurls the route in his hand. “We need to turn around. The next houses are all a bit farther west than the shop. But they seem fairly close to each other. Fan Oulang is the next closest.”

Minhyung nods and they set off. Kun is sweeping the entrance of the shop when they pass by, and he pauses to wave. “Was Aitan doing alright? Was he walking okay?”

“His right leg appeared to be bothering him a little bit, but other than that, he seemed well. He was very kind. Here,” Minhyung tosses the pouch of coins to him. “We’ll drop this off with you now.”

“Kun catches it easily, smiling. “Thanks, you two. I’ll try to have lunch ready when you guys get back, but the afternoon rush is always nasty.”

“I don’t know why he thinks it’ll take that long,” Hechan wonders aloud. “It’s not a lot of houses.”

They learn why fairly quickly. Fan Oulang is a younger, heavily pregnant woman who talks like she hasn’t spoken to another person in years. Minhyung hands over her package and the two of them stand awkwardly at the door as she waddles further into the house to set the crate down and fetch her payment. Even then, though, she does not stop talking. She holds the coin pouch tightly in her hand and talks their ears off for what feels like an hour before she finally lets them go.”

“I’ve never wanted to tell a person to stop talking more in my life,” Haechan moans as they stop to check the route again. “I think we lost thirty minutes of our lives because she couldn’t choose which name would suit her unborn baby more.”

“I thought it was closer to an hour,” Minhyung mumbles. “Let’s hope Tan Huanbao is short and sweet.”

Tan Huanbao is grouchy and two heads shorter than Minhyung. She doesn’t even step outside of her house to receive the package, simply sticking her hand out to pay Minhyung and instruct him to place the package by the door. As they walk away, she scurries out from behind her door to shove the crate inside with her foot.

“Well it was certainly short.” Minhyung laughs at Haechan’s grumbling. “You should take one of my packages, it’s not fair you got rid of yours so quickly.”

“No. I just carried three crates. You can handle the bags.”

“But they’re so heavy,” he whines.

Minhyung sighs and takes the parchment from the genie’s hand. “Li Tiaoning, always complaining, never satisfied.” He inspects the map. “There’s a house quite a bit away from where we are, and the last stop is closer to the shop. Let’s go there on our way back.”

“Fine,” Haechan pouts, readjusting his grip on the bags. “I’ve been avoiding that house because the route there made the least sense to me.”

“I’m sure we can figure it out,” Minhyung sniffs, folds the map, and stuffs it into his jacket. “Like Kun said, we can always ask for help if we have trouble finding it.”

So they set off, trying their best to interpret the map. They get completely turned around when Minhyung spots a cat and insists on stopping to pet it. It hisses at Haechan, but curls sweetly around Minhyung’s legs, purring. It takes the genie physically pulling him away before they can finally continue their journey.

“Munu, I have no idea where we are,” Haechan huffs, pulling the route from Minhyung’s hands. “I don’t see a noodle stand anywhere!”

He doesn’t want to admit it, but he agrees. There’s nervousness pricking at the back of his neck and the sun is beginning to feel too warm on his skin. He should have asked Kun if they could bring something to drink.

“Whatever, I’m asking for help.” Haechan marches ahead and stops a large man pulling a cart. They speak for a moment before the genie turns and skips back, a smile on his face. “We aren’t far! The noodle stand is just a little further this way.”

He grabs Minhyung’s sleeve and tugs him in the opposite direction and through a narrow alley. Sure enough, there’s a decrepit noodle stand leaning against the side of another shop with children sitting on stools behind the stall. Minhyung’s stomach grumbles with interest, but Haechan is pulling him away before he can dwell too much on it.

The buildings begin to spread out the farther they walk until they’re eventually walking alone along an overgrown trail. Minhyung is unsure if they’re still going the right way, but Haechan is leading him with confidence, so he doesn’t bother to question it. Soon enough, a small house comes into view, veiled by apricot trees. Even from a distance, it’s a house Minhyung can only dream to live in one day.

In the front garden, there’s a boy working in the dirt. His shirt is stained completely from the earth and sweat streaks down his arms, showing the true colour of his skin behind the filth. He looks up and pulls his hat off his head to smile glaringly at the two.

“Hi!” Haechan calls. “We’re looking for Li Yongqin?”

“That’s me.” He wipes his hands across his chest and stands. Minhyung eyes him curiously as they shake hands, trying to understand why he needs deliveries. As if he’s reading his mind, he smiles again and says, “Bad knee. It’s very difficult to make the trek up to Kun’s shop.” He stops short. “You  _ are  _ coming from Kun’s shop, correct?”

Minhyung nods. “Yes, we are. We’ve got your package right here.”

Yongqin looks back up at Minhyung. He’s short—not like Huanbao—but the top of his head only reaches Minhyung’s nose. He’s grinning and he doesn’t think he’s ever seen such perfect teeth in his entire life. He snaps out of it when Yongqin begins speaking.

“What are your guys’ names?” He asks, not looking away from Minhyung. He can feel Haechan bristle beside him.

“My name is Tiaoning, and this is Munu.”

“Munu? That’s a sweet name,” he hums. “I’d introduce myself, but it appears you already know my name.”

Minhyung is positive his cheeks are burning hotter than the sun. Yongqin seems to be enjoying himself, biting at his lips as he continues to smile up at him. Haechan stands stiff, looking between the two of them with a scowl, before he clears his throat and steals Yongqin’s attention away from Minhyung. He steps out of the way and the genie passes the package off, immediately moving to stand in front of Minhyung.

“Well, I wasn’t expecting my delivery until later in the afternoon, so I haven’t got my payment with me,” Yongqin begins. “Why don’t you come out of the sun for a moment? I can get you something to drink and fetch the money while you cool off.”

Minhyung can already hear the rejection on Haechan’s tongue, so he quickly steps forward. “That would be lovely,” he says, giving Haechan a look. “I was just wishing I’d brought something to drink with me.”

“Perfect!” Yongqin brightens. “If you’ll just follow me, then.”

He turns on his heel and heads toward the house. Haechan pulls on Minhyung’s hand, stopping him from following. They fight a silent battle before Minhyung tugs his hand away and crosses the garden. The temperature difference in the house is drastic, and the sweat on the back of his neck cools instantly, making him shiver. Haechan stomps in behind him, cheeks flushed from the heat, and takes a seat at the table. Yongqin comes from the back with two mugs and sets them on the wood as Minhyung sits.

“I’m afraid I don’t have a cool well, so I can’t give you something colder to drink.” He leans on the table, watching Minhyung as he gulps the water down. “I’ll just go grab the payment.”

“Lee Minhyung, I don’t like him at all,” Haechan hisses in Korean as soon as Yongqin leaves.

“I don’t know why,” Minhyung replies calmly in Chinese. “He seems perfectly nice to me.”

“You’re only saying that cause he’s flirtin’ with you.”

Minhyung sets his mug down and clears his throat, looking at the genie. “Are you jealous, Li Tiaoning?”

Before Haechan can reply, Yongqin returns, jangling a pouch in his hand. “Here you go,” he says, dropping the coins into Minhyung’s open palm.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Haechan begins loudly. “What happened to your knee?”

“Li Tiaoning!” Minhyung gasps. “I am so sorry, I don’t know–”

Yongqin waves him off. “Oh, don’t worry about it, lots of people are curious about this sort of thing.” He takes a seat across from them and folds his hands on the table. “I fought in the second war against Korea. I injured myself during the battle in 1011 when I was fifteen.”

It’s as though cotton has been stuffed into Minhyung’s mouth. He can’t swallow, and as Yongqin continues his story, his voice muffled in his ears, Haechan’s hand reaches for his under the table and squeezes. A silent apology. He tries to squeeze back, an acknowledgment of his presence, but it feels like he’s completely lost strength in every single one of his muscles. A part of him is angry with Haechan for asking at all, because Minhyung could have happily lived his life not knowing that Yongqin fought in the war that killed his parents. But Haechan couldn’t have known it would be so terrible, so he can’t truly be upset with him.

“I never liked the fighting.” Yongqin’s voice slowly comes back into focus. “But my father was sick and I didn’t want him to die fighting a war he didn’t agree with. So I fought in his place.”

“Oh,” Haechan breathes, and his grip on Minhyung’s hand goes slack. “You didn’t approve of the war, either?”

“Of course not!” Yongqin’s hand goes to his chest. “I’ve always been a pacifist. I think both countries were in the wrong in their own ways, and while Korea won, I can’t help but think of all the people they lost in the violence as well. The town across the river was absolutely destroyed in 1012. I was lucky enough to not lose my parents, but others didn’t get that blessing.”

Minhyung chews on his lip and looks down at his and Haechan’s hands. “Well, thank you very much for the water,” he begins. “But we do still have one more delivery we need to make, so we should be on our way.”

“Oh, of course, don’t let me keep you!” Yongqin stands and takes their mugs with a smile. “Next time you deliver to me, save me for last so I can keep you a little longer.” He winks at Minhyung, who turns his attention to his feet.

Haechan clears his throat. “Well, thanks again,” he bows. “Have a good rest of your day.”

Yongqin sings a goodbye as the two of them duck out of the house and make their way back toward the city.

“I still don’t like him,” Haechan grumbles as Minhyung pulls the map out to check the route. “There’s something suspicious about him.”

Minhyung shrugs. “I think he’s cute.”

The genie rolls his eyes. “Whatever. Let’s just get this last delivery over with.”

The uncomfortable feeling settles back into Minhyung’s stomach. The feeling he’d gotten just yesterday evening. He doesn’t like knowing there’s something off about Haechan. He wishes he could crawl inside of his mind and see what he’s thinking. But he wouldn’t allow it even if Minhyung begged to know.

The last delivery is short and sweet, to a little old woman named Mao Tianfu. Her husband sits on their porch and watches as they converse, slowly cutting a peach. He offers the two of them a slice as they depart and sends them off with a soft smile. Haechan still won’t speak to Minhyung.

The sun bites at the tip of his nose as they walk toward the shop. Haechan stays a few steps ahead of him the majority of the journey back, only looking over his shoulder to make sure Minhyung is still with him. He’s hot and tired and hungry, and he wishes Haechan would act like the adult he’s playing the role of. Kun will wonder what’s wrong if they come back and they aren’t speaking to each other. So Minhyung falls into step beside the genie and tugs on his sleeve.

“Li Tiaoning,” he murmurs. “Why are you so upset right now?”

“I’m not upset, Munu,” Haechan sighs, prying Minhyung’s hand from his sleeve. “There’s just something about Yongqin that makes me uneasy. It could be the fact that he fought in the war that killed your parents.”

“I think that would give me more of a reason to be upset about it than you,” Minhyung huffs, furrowing his eyebrows. “But he said it himself, he never approved of the war and only fought in it so his father wouldn’t have to.”

The genie hums. I guess. I still don’t trust him, though. Kun is the only man in China that I will trust wholeheartedly.”

“But  _ I’m  _ a man in China.” Haechan gives him a pointed look. “Alright, alright, I get it. But are you sure that’s it? You don’t just not like him because he flirts with me and I think he’s cute?”

“No.” Haechan sounds offended at the idea, but he looks away and Minhyung can see the tips of his ears glowing pink. “Silly of you to even think that for a second.”

Minhyung laughs, but doesn’t say anything else. The air around them is less charged now, and the anxiety in his stomach has settled. A gust of wind blows against their faces and cools the sweat on their foreheads, and as they close their eyes against the breeze, their pinkies reach for each other. It makes Minhyung’s heart skip a beat, to feel Haechan look for his hand as instinctually as Minhyung looks for his. He lets himself think for a moment, that Haechan’s heart skips a beat too. Their hands are clammy and warm and it’s uncomfortable, but if neither of them will pull away, then they won't let go until they absolutely must.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this chapter is kind of rough, i would like to have ch4 out by some time tomorrow so !!  
> come hang out with me :)  
> [twt](https://twitter.com/seolarss)


	4. ECSTATIC SHOCK

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’s staring into the meadow dreamily, a small smile on his face. He’s strangely human at this moment. Vulnerability bleeds from him, and it’s beautiful, but it ends as quickly as it began when he shakes his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ECSTATIC SHOCK  
> n.  
> the surge of energy upon catching a glance from someone you like--a thrill that starts in your stomach, arc up through your lungs and flashes into a spontaneous smile
> 
> [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/17R4TqySz4Bg3GHTwMdpv0?si=xzQw6SASQQOc_r8jbbKWHQ)

The shop is busy when they return and Kun is quick to set them to work. Minhyung starts a new line at the second counter while Haechan pulls things from the shelves for pick-up purchases. While it’s hot outside, it’s even warmer in the shop, and the culmination of sweating bodies squeezing themselves into the building makes it unbearably stuffy. Minhyung begins to feel lightheaded in the first ten minutes and receives a concerned glance from Kun. He ignores Haechan’s suggestions to sit down and pushes through, smiling at each customer he helps until the numbers in the shop finally begin to thin out. There are two stragglers taking their time picking out their items, so Kun ushers Minhyung and Haechan into the kitchen to get something to drink and sit down before returning to the front.

Minhyung collapses into a seat and presses his head against the table while Haechan steps into the garden to get them some water. He can hear Genji crying excitedly and he perks immediately, pushing himself up and following the genie outside. Haechan is kneeling in the grass, giggling to himself as Genji jumps on him and licks his face, her entire body wriggling. When she catches sight of Minhyung she whines loudly and abandons Haechan to greet him.

“Hey, baby,” he coos as he holds her head in his hands. “Did you miss me? Are you being nice to Shí and Kun Ge?”

“She missed you very much,” Haechan grunts. “Clearly more than me.”

Minhyung sticks his tongue out. “It’s not my fault I’m sweet and gentle and you’re a magic creature that all animals hate.”

“Hey,” he pouts. “It’s not _all_ animals. And she doesn’t hate me! Genji, come here.”

At the sound of her name, Genji turns and trots back to Haechan, tail wagging. The genie grins widely and his face begins to glow as he rubs at Genji’s ears. Minhyung smiles. Behind him, the back door opens.

“Hey, you two,” Kun says. “The last customers left and I’ve closed up the shop for lunch. Come inside!”

The two stand and bid their farewells to the dog. Haechan continues to the water pump and Minhyung walks inside. He sits at the table and watches Kun dish up some soup. 

“How did the deliveries go?” He asks, setting a bowl in front of Minhyung. “Hopefully my routes weren’t too confusing. I was blessed with many things, but unfortunately, artistic skills were not included.”

Minhyung smiles. “No, it was plenty helpful.” Haechan comes inside and takes his seat beside him, sliding the water pitcher to the middle of the table. “Most of them were very kind, but we did get a little bit lost on our way to Li Yongqin’s house and we ended up needing to ask someone for help.”

He can feel Haechan tense up at the mention of his name and Kun smiles apologetically as he places a bowl in front of him. “I’m very sorry. It’s always so difficult to direct someone to his house at first, but I learned that after finding it once, it’s hard to forget the way.” He sits across from them and Minhyung pours water into their mugs. Kun gives a curious look across the table. “Was Yongqin alright? He can be quite the character sometimes.”

“He certainly took a liking to Munu right away,” Haechan mutters before shoving a spoonful of broth into his mouth.

Kun chuckles nervously, his eyes shifting between the two of them. “Yes, he tends to be a little bit flirtatious, but I know he always means well.”

“He was quite hospitable,” Minhyung assures. “He offered us something to drink and told us a bit about himself.”

“Did he brag about his knee injury?” Kun laughs. “That was one of the first things he talked to me about when we became reacquainted.”

“Are you two close?” Haechan asks.

“We are.” He nods. “We went to school together when we were children. We lost touch when he went to fight in the war, but I opened the shop just a few years ago and he was my very first customer. It turns out we actually live quite close to each other, so I’m able to see him often, even though you’ve taken over deliveries.”

“You two have such different personalities,” Minhyung muses.

“We’re both quite outgoing, but our ways of showing it are drastically different.” Kun stands to clear their dishes. “I try to become friends with everyone I meet. He tries to take them to bed.”

Haechan chokes on his water, coughing violently into his fist. Minhyung pats his back, cheeks flaming. He notices how read Kun’s face has become as well and his eyes go wide. “Wait, Kun Ge, you didn’t–”

“No, of course not!” He waves his hands frantically. “He tried once, shortly after we reunited. But I don’t like men the way he does. I don’t mind, not at all, but I’ve been courting a woman since we were eighteen.”

Minhyung’s mind flashes to Shuying. There’s a knock at the front door and Kun is quick to excuse himself from the kitchen to reopen the shop. Haechan has turned around in his seat and is now looking at Minhyung, arms crossed over his chest.

“So he tries to sleep with everyone he meets, huh?” He begins and Minhyung rolls his eyes. “He didn’t seem all that interested in me, though.”

“Li Tiaoning,” he groans. “I thought we got past this on the walk back. Didn’t you say you weren’t jealous?”

“I told you, I’m not–”

“Okay, fine! You aren’t jealous!” Minhyung sets to leave the room. “But you’re acting like I’m the person to blame because of a stranger’s actions towards me. What, are you angry because _you_ want to fuck him?”

Haechan freezes. He leans forward, his voice going low as he speaks in Korean. “Lee Minhyung, what makes you think I wanna sleep with Li Yongqin?”

“Well, it’s either him or me, Tiaoning,” Minhyung spits. “I’m taking Genji on a walk around the district. Let Kun know that I’ll be gone for the next couple of hours.”

He turns on his heel and leaves the kitchen, slipping out the back door. His hands are shaking as he pulls the rope from around the water pump and ties it loosely around Genji’s neck. She whines, her backside wiggling with excitement. He clicks his tongue to make her stand and leads her out of the side gate. She looks behind her expectantly as they make their way toward the river.

“He’s not coming with us right now,” he murmurs. “It’s just going to be you and me for the next bit.”

Genji’s eyes flash in the sun as she turns her head forward. People in the street stop and speak amongst themselves at the sight of the two. An angry, foreign looking boy with a dog that shines red in the light. Genji trots along beside him happily, stopping every so often to sniff at the ground or someone’s outstretched fingers.

The river is crowded with fishermen and stalls selling their catches. A man stands at one of the docks with his son, instructing him on how to correctly hold a fishing pole that is over twice his size. They reel in something small and the boy shrieks with excitement, clapping his hands as his father unhooks it and tosses it back into the water. A seed of warmth is planted in Minhyung’s chest, but it’s watered with something akin to envy. 

Genji pulls on her rope as they near the food stalls, licking at her snout. He clicks his tongue to bring her back beside him, but she looks up and whines, and Minhyung regrets not asking Kun for his weekly pay before he left. The hairs on the back of his neck rise and his skin tingles with the feeling of being watched. He turns, and Shuying is standing near a stall, gripping a basket in her hand. Minhyung smiles, waves, and walks to greet her. But the feeling hasn’t gone away.

“Good afternoon, Shuying.” He bows and she smiles in greeting before turning her attention to the dog.

“What’s her name again?”

“Ah, this is Genji. She belongs to Hae–” He clears his throat and flexes his toes to keep from kicking himself. “To Tiaoning and me.”

Thankfully, she doesn’t seem to have noticed, as she’s set her basket down and begun ranking her fingers down Genji’s sides. “Aren’t you a sweet girl,” she coos, pulling her away from the basket as she moves to stick her nose into it. She looks up at Minhyung, squinting in the sun. “You and Tiaoning aren’t related, are you?”

Minhyung freezes. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you don’t have matching characters, which isn’t too curious,” she begins. “But you two also look nothing alike. His hair is brown and yours is black. The only similarity is the curl, but even his hair is curlier than yours. His face is rounder and his skin is much darker, as well.”

Minhyung shifts on his feet. “Well, I don’t think we ever said we were brothers–”

“But both sets of your parents died?” Shuying stands and steps closer, her eyes raking across his face. “How could the two of you have been so unlucky?”

He has no explanation to offer. The back of his neck is burning in fear and embarrassment. Shuying continues to stare as he opens and closes his mouth, hoping to force some sort of excuse out that she’ll believe. But nothing comes out, and she throws her head back and laughs, her hand coming to rest on Minhyung’s arm.

“I’d started out just teasing you, but you became so nervous, I could hardly help it,” she giggles. “If you two are lovers, I don’t mind. I’ll just be a little disappointed.”

“It’s not like that!” Minhyung sputters. Genji whines between the two of them at his tone. “What makes you think that?”

Shuying hums and ignores his question. “Well either way, your heart isn’t available, is it?”

It’s Minhyung’s turn to ignore her inquiry, suddenly blushing and confused. “Aren’t you the woman Kun Ge has been chasing?”

She sighs, casts her eyes down and kicks at a pebble in the road. “I am. Qian Kun is a lovely man, and he’s terribly handsome as well,” Minhyung silently agrees. “But I haven’t felt any romantic feelings for him in all of the years we’ve known each other. Maybe I’m still too young—I could fall in love with him one day, I’m sure of it—but I guess my heart isn’t in the right place just yet.”

Minhyung opens his mouth to respond, but she continues. “I know my father adores him. Our parents have been friends for as long as they can remember. I don’t think he’d trust any man with my heart that wasn’t Qian Kun.” She pauses to look out at the water. “Anyway, it isn’t like I was really set on winning your heart. I simply thought it might be fun to have another dashingly handsome man fall for me.”

Minhyung feels himself blush again. “I’m sorry I can’t offer you that kind of attention.”

She waves him off. “It isn’t your fault! We love who we love, and no one can change that about a person. Nüwa created all of us uniquely and with the affection of a mother. She would never create something simply to destroy it.”

Minhyung has never heard of this woman, but he smiles and nods anyway. “I agree with that wholeheartedly. No one is created with the sole purpose to hate or be hated.” He hopes it’s both vague and specific enough to not be questioned. 

Shuying smiles up at him. “Why don’t you walk me home, Munu?” She holds out her hand and Minhyung extends an arm toward her. “I live a little ways away, but I’m sure Kun doesn’t need you for anything, or else you wouldn’t be out walking your dog.”

Minhyung grimaces as she begins walking and continues to talk. He hopes things are going well at the shop. He hopes Haechan hasn’t made Kun uncomfortable, but above all else he hopes Haechan isn’t dwelling on what he’d said before he left. The back of his neck tingles again. When he sneaks a look over his shoulder, there are three young men standing in a clump, watching them.

“Shuying, I think you may have some secret admirers.”

She looks back and shakes her head, frowning. “I’ve never seen them before. They look like crooks.”

Minhyung hums but says nothing else. Shuying begins to talk about the weather, sighing at how nice it’s been the past few days. Minhyung agrees, but knows that every bit of exposed skin is going to be horribly burned by the end of the week. His nose is already hot to the touch; he’ll have to ask Kun for some honey to treat it.

Something warm and wet lands on his shoulder. Shuying eyes the area and begins to laugh. “The birds don’t seem to like you.”

Minhyung looks up from his soiled jacket and catches sight of a bird flying above the two of them, warbling loudly. He squints up, and the bird relieves itself again. He jumps out of the way just in time, missing the dropping by barely an inch, and Shuying laughs harder. Genji spots the bird and begins barking.

“Did you really send Gu after me, Tiaoning?” Minhyung mutters under his breath as he calms Genji with a head rub, and Shuying looks up at him curiously.

“Oh, um. That’s actually mine and Tiaoning’s bird. His name is,” his brain kicks into overdrive as he attempts to translate the Korean name into something Chinese. “Baozhu.”

“That’s so cool!” Shuying looks up, squinting to find the bird. “Is it a conscious decision to name all of your pets after light, though?”

Minhyung laughs. “I guess it is, yeah.”

They rush past the shop when they approach it, desperate to avoid a run-in with Kun or Haechan. They head farther and farther west and Minhyung realises quickly that they’re walking in the direction of Yongqin’s house. His heart jumps at the idea of seeing him again so soon. Shuying is oblivious to his internal panic, pointing out the different flowers and marvelling at the light the evening sun is casting. 

When they arrive at her home, the world around them is glowing orange with the setting sun. Baining steps outside, throwing a cloth over his shoulder, and smiles at the sight of them. Shuying lets go of Minhyung’s arm to kiss her father’s cheek.

“Ah, Liu Munu! I see you’ve escorted my Shuying home!” He steps forward to shake his hand firmly. “Would you like to come in for dinner?”

Minhyung shakes his head. “I mustn’t, I need to get back to the shop. Tiaoning must be wondering where I am by now… Time seems to pass so quickly in Zhenxing.”

Baining laughs and pats Genji’s head. “So Kun gave you the job, did he?” He straightens and grins. “I knew he would, he’s always been a very gracious boy.”

“Yes, thank you again for sending us in his direction.” Minhyung bows. “We’re eternally grateful.”

“Ah, there’s no need to thank me, I’m always happy to help.” Baining shakes his head, waving Minhyung off. “You’d better get on your way, now. Don’t keep Tiaoning waiting.”

He bows one more time, bids the two of them farewell, and clicks his tongue to lead Genji back toward the city. He keeps an eye out as he walks, looking for any sign of Li Yongqin. He’s fortunate enough to not run into him, but he meets Kun halfway to the shop. They exchange somewhat tight smiles.

“The shop tends to stay slow moving after the afternoon rush, so you didn’t miss much. But that doesn’t mean you’re allowed to go wandering off whenever you want.” Minhyung bows his head in shame. “I’ll be paying you every Friday, which means I’ve left your money with Tiaoning back at the shop. I also drew up your route and made up your breakfast for the morning so you can head out early. I don’t want you out in the heat as much as you were today.”

Minhyung nods. “Thank you, Ge. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“And Munu?” Kun calls after him quietly. “Whatever is happening between the two of you, please work it out. That boy did nothing but pout the entire time you were gone.”

Minhyung blinks. “Oh. Sure, I’ll talk to him. I’m sorry I left the two of you alone.”

“Don’t worry about that!” He points a finger in his face. “Worry about your relationship! I can’t have my only two employees fighting with each other constantly.”

Genji wiggles impatiently at Minhyung’s side, so he says goodbye to Kun and continues on his way. People are lighting lanterns outside of their shops and stalls to draw customers in, and the smell of steak makes Minhyung’s mouth water. He sends a silent prayer to anyone who will listen that he can clear the air with Haechan so they can get some meat skewers.

The genie is sweeping the outside of the shop when Minhyung returns and their eyes meet for a moment before he turns his attention back toward the ground. Genji whines, so Minhyung undoes the rope around her neck and lets her run ahead to greet Haechan.

“Gu has a new name now,” Minhyung begins once he’s close enough. Haechan pauses. “His new name is Baozhu. By the way, did you send him after me? Because he pooped on me almost twice.”

“I didn’t _make_ Gu do anything,” he says, pointedly ignoring the new name. “He just reflects my emotions when they get a bit too strong.”

“And you were upset enough to poop on me.”

It’s silent for a moment as Haechan gnaws on his bottom lip, but he quickly dissolves into a fit of laughter, dropping the broom at his feet. Genji looks back at Minhyung, confused. “No, of course I didn’t want to poo on you.”

“I mean, I don’t know,” Minhyung mumbles and looks down at his feet. “You’ve been so grumpy lately.”

It goes quiet again while Haechan observes him, and it makes Minhyung squirm. There’s something so different in the way Haechan looks at him in comparison to others. Kun looks at him like he’s a scared and lonely child, but Haechan looks at him with so much interest, like he wants to crawl inside his mind and make a home there. He looks at Minhyung like he’s fascinating. A puzzle waiting to be solved, or a treasure yet to show its true value. 

“I know I’ve been grumpy lately,” he begins. “I can’t tell you why. Everything just feels so–” He pauses, thinking. “So confusing, I guess. And I don’t like being confused.”

“What do you mean?”

“I would tell you if I knew, Munu,” Haechan rolls his eyes. “I mean, how come with everything I do for you, something bad seems to creep up behind it?” There’s muted frustration in his tone as he speaks. “I’ve been trying to help you, to _really_ help you, but it’s like things are backfiring no matter what I do to prevent it. I guess I’m worried that Yongqin will be the thing to backfire this time.”

“Oh,” is all Minhyung has to offer. Of course, a part of him isn’t all that surprised, but there’s still something shocking about hearing Haechan himself explain his actions and attitudes. “I mean, it’s okay–”

“I wasn’t really apologising,” Haechan interrupts. “But at the same time, it’s not okay! You’re my master and it’s my duty to keep you safe at all costs, but you’ve gotten hurt so many times because of me.”

“Well you aren’t exactly one of the genies that follows the rules, are you?” Minhyung attempts to joke to lighten the mood.

“I know that,” the genie says, biting his lip. “I know that and that’s why I’m confused. You’re so pathetic, I can’t even bring myself to intentionally make your life more miserable.”

“Ouch,” Minhyung winces. “You definitely did not need to go there.”

That seems to make Haechan perk up. He smiles finally, and while his eyes still have something lost swirling in them, they flash with something else that’s playful and excited, and that makes Minhyung’s heart grow calm.

“Can we go get something to eat?” He whines. “I’m starving half to death.”

“Don’t you not need to eat?”

“Ah!” His pointer finger finds a place on Minhyung’s lips. “We are not discussing that. It’s been a long, exhausting day, and my little human stomach is dying for sustenance.”

Minhyung sighs, but agrees. His stomach speaks for him, grumbling loudly and making Haechan giggle. Slightly embarrassed, Minhyung takes Genji through the side gate into the garden and lets the chickens out. He tosses some feed across the grass and watches them scuttle toward the grain, clucking loudly. Shí makes the most noise and tramples one of the hens in his haste. Minhyung steps into the shop to retrieve their money and meets Haechan back out front.

The broom is hanging by the door now and he’s sitting on the ground, hugging his knees and looking out into the world. It’s the perfect time of day for the Jade Genie, burning orange and leaving him dripping in gold. He fidgets with one of his fingers, where a ring used to be, and sighs quietly to himself. Minhyung lets himself look for a moment longer. In a perfect world, one that wasn’t so dangerous, he’d sit beside him, rest his head on his shoulder. Maybe, after a few minutes of sitting quietly together, he’d turn his head and kiss him, and Haechan would kiss him back, tasting of honeycomb and lemon.

The thought makes Minhyung’s chest go tight, so he squeezes the idea from his mind and jangles the coin pouch to get Haechan’s attention. He turns to look at him and for a split second, the lost look in his eyes is there, having overpowered everything else. But he blinks and it’s gone before Minhyung can even think to say something.

“You better have found a good place for us to eat while you were out, Liu Munu.”

“I smelled some steak on my way back,” he offers, watching the genie as he stands. “We can get some skewers and something raw for Genji.”

Haechan smiles, wide, sweet, and holds out his hand. “Sounds perfect to me.”

They begin walking west, through the bustling crowds of Zhenxing, to the tiny meat stall hidden between buildings. People stop and watch them with careful eyes as they pass. Minhyung isn’t sure if it’s their Korean features or their hands locked together that makes them stare so shamelessly. Fortunately, he doesn’t care, and laughs when Haechan trips over a rock in the road. He jerks his hand away and walks ahead, his face burning, and Minhyung only laughs more. His chest bubbles with something warm and unfamiliar as he jogs the few steps up to move beside Haechan again.

They reach the stall just moments before an onslaught of new customers flood the area. They huddle together in the line, and Minhyung keeps a tight grip on Haechan’s sleeve to avoid being shoved away. There’s a woman working the stall with her husband, and they yell at each other, laughing over the noise as they grill meat and take orders. The woman, around the same age as Kun, winks at Haechan and he flirts back shamelessly, leaning against the wood of the stall. Her husband cries out at the sight and whips her with a rag, making her bark out a laugh as she accepts the coins in Minhyung’s hand. She promises their food in a few minutes so they shuffle away from the crowd, standing in the open as they wait.

“I can’t believe I’m not allowed to have another man flirt with me, but you’re allowed to flirt with a woman who shows you her breasts,” Minhyung huffs. “I’m sensing an unfair battle here.”

“There’s no battle being fought,” Haechan whispers in his ear. “Plus, there’s a difference between a married woman–” Minhyung follows his finger to the couple kissing sweetly behind the stall. “–and a single man who has probably slept with half the district.”

Minhyung rolls his eyes, choosing to change the subject. “I hope Genji likes the meat we bring her.”

“Of course she will!” Haechan sings. “And even if she didn’t, which we both know is highly unlikely, Kun spoils her rotten in the mornings.”

“How do you know?”

“Gu told me.” He cranes his neck to see the status of their food. “Why do you think she rarely complains about being hungry?”

“I didn’t realise the two of you could communicate,” Minhyung muses. “I always thought you just talked to him and he listened.”

“He’d be a terrible pet if we couldn’t talk to each other.”

Minhyung feels offended for Genji, but the woman at the stall calls Haechan’s name before he can say anything to protect her honour. He returns with skewers of grilled steak and chicken and a slab of raw meat covered with a cloth. There isn’t a lot, but with the meals Kun has cooked them in the mornings and afternoons, it’s enough to tide Minhyung over until the next day. They continue to stroll around the marketplace, observing the different stalls selling candied fruit and simple jewellery as they eat. Haechan hums beside Minhyung gleefully.

“Tiaoning,” he begins, and the genie falls silent to look at him. “Who is Nüwa?”

“Nüwa? She’s a goddess of Chinese mythology. People believe she created mankind. Even those who practice Taoism choose to follow the myth of Nüwa, since the Taoist idea of creation is extensive and somewhat confusing. And that’s coming from a creature of Taoism. There’s like, an egg and a dragon or something.”

Minhyung hums. “That’s kind of strange, okay.”

“Plus, there’s something more satisfying about a woman being the one to create the human race, you know? Men are always seen in high positions of power, in religion _and_ mortal life, so why not let Nüwa have a large role in our existence?” Haechan stops walking and looks at Minhyung curiously. “Why do you ask?”

“Oh, it’s nothing, really.” Minhyung finishes his last skewer. “I walked Shuying home before I went back to the shop and she mentioned the name.”

It’s clear he wants to ask more questions, but he shrugs his shoulders and finishes eating, throwing his sticks into a nearby fire. “Do you want to see where Gu has been nesting? He’s made a little bird palace for himself.”

“Sure.”

So Haechan pulls him back in the direction of The Burning Hill, apologising when he shoulder checks a man as he moves. He leads them into the shop, through the kitchen, and up the stairs. But instead of going into their room, he stops in front of Kun’s door. Minhyung jerks back and glares. “We can’t go in there!” He hisses. “That’s a total invasion of his privacy!”

“Lee Minhyung,” Haechan clicks his tongue, switching to Korean. “We ain’t snoopin’ or anything. It’s the route to his nest, is all.”

He catches Minhyung’s wrist again and opens the door, dragging him inside. Minhyung is tempted to squeeze his eyes shut, but the room is just as barren as their own. There are no momentos or books, just a mattress and a small table. He supposes it makes sense, with him having an actual home to go to at the end of the day. Haechan makes a beeline toward the window and shoves it open with some force.

“What are you doing?” Minhyung squeaks. Haechan looks back at him and grins.

“His nest obviously isn’t gonna be inside, Lee Minhyung.” He sticks a foot out of the window and Minhyung’s heart drops into his stomach. “He’s on the roof!”

With that, he disappears, and a shout of terror is trapped in Minhyung’s throat. He runs to the window and looks down, but Haechan isn’t anywhere to be found. His heart is pounding in his ears and he can feel the palms of his hands beginning to sweat. Did Haechan really just jump out of a window?

A finger presses into his hair, making him jump and slam his head into the windowsill. He groans and rubs at his head tenderly, twisting around to look up. Peering over the edge, a wide smile on his face, is Haechan.

“Stupid, didja think I jumped?” He shouts through the wind.

Minhyung shushes him sharply and looks down into the street. People move along, unaware of the two of them. He glares back up at the genie. “Could you not go yelling in Korean, please? We’re going to get caught!”

Haechan rolls his eyes, but begins speaking in Chinese. “Give me your hand. I’ll pull you up.”

Minhyung hesitates. He knows Haechan has muscle, but can he really pull a full-grown human onto a roof? He looks back down and feels his stomach swirl with anxiety at the idea of falling. Haechan seems to sense his uncertainty.

“Hey,” he begins softly. “It’s going to be okay. I’ve got Gu to help me.”

Taking a deep breath, Minhyung stretches his hand out for Haechan to grab. He feels weightless as he’s pulled up, looking at the genie with wide eyes when he’s settled down beside him. He smiles.

“Told ya it’d be fine,” he says, slipping back into Korean. “Isn’t it perfect up here? You can see the sun!”

Minhyung looks out and, resting against the river, is the sun. The sky looks like it’s on fire, bleeding orange and red into the clouds and reflecting off the water. Minhyung squints at the sunset and feels the last dregs of warmth spread across his arms. The wind blows into his bangs, shifting them over his eyes, and Haechan’s fingers are in his hair in an instant to brush it away. Minhyung feels his body light up, but he doesn’t look at him, afraid of giving anything away. He can feel the genie’s eyes on him, but he stares at the sky and wills his heart to settle in his chest.

“Oh, Gu’s nest, I almost forgot!” Haechan speaks suddenly and startles Minhyung. He looks behind him, sees him crawling away on his hands and knees. “It’s just over here.”

So Minhyung follows, crawling to the other side of the roof. He’s thankful for the flat surface, knowing he would have slipped right off if it had been the same slanted straw roofs of the other buildings around. 

“Look!”

A bird is settled in the corner, watching the two of them with sharp eyes. It’s laying atop a pile of straw, leaves, and scraps of cloth. It squawks and its beak opens abnormally wide, dropping into its neck. Minhyung falls back, and Haechan laughs when the bird squawks again.

“What’s wrong with him?!” He cries. “Is his mouth supposed to do that?”

“That’s how all Nightjars look!” Haechan exclaims. “Ain’t he cute? He got up earlier than he normally does to follow you, so he’s kinda grumpy.”

Slowly, Minhyung scoots closer. Gu’s head turns and a black eye fixes on him. He ruffles his feathers when Minhyung stretches a hesitant hand toward him, but closes his eyes when a finger rubs against the side of his head. Minhyung grins over at Haechan.

“He’s so soft!” He half whispers. “Are all birds this soft?”

“Have you not pet the chickens?” Haechan asks curiously. “Their feathers are rougher, but yeah, they’re still pretty soft.”

Minhyung hums and looks back at Gu. He’s standing now, picking under his wings and trotting around his nest. It looks almost as if he’s cleaning up, carrying stray pieces of cloth and leaves back to the pile and rearranging them. Then, with one last startling squawk, he spreads his wings and sets off.

“He’s got some huntin’ to do now,” Haechan begins. “We should go back inside. He won’t be back ‘til morning.”

“Is he just going to the river?” Minhyung asks and allows Haechan to pull him up.

“Oh, no. He’s goin’ to the country near where Yongqin lives.” He brushes his pants off. “He eats frogs and birds.”

Minhyung represses a gag. “He eats _birds_?”

“Yeah?” Haechan picks up Genji’s steak and gives Minhyung a strange look. “He’s a predatory bird. If he were smaller he’d eat bugs, but he’s massive. He eats things like Flycatchers and Minlas. Just like an owl or a hawk’ll eat him if he ain’t careful.”

Minhyung frowns but says nothing. He allows Haehcan to pull him back inside and follows him downstairs and into the garden. While Haechan feeds Genji, Minhyung herds the chickens into their coop and locks them up. He makes sure to pet one of them as it scuttles past him.

“You know what we should’ve gotten while we were out?” Haechan pauses to gargle some water in his mouth and spit it out. “Toothbrushes.”

“Toothbrushes?”

“Toothbrushes.” He nods firmly. “Someone recently invented them. They’re made of bamboo sticks and boar hair!”

“That sounds like it would be expensive.”

“Yeah, they are.” Haechan slumps. “But Kun does have willow root, which we can use instead! It’s supposed to make your mouth taste better.”

Minhyung smacks his lips. Now that he thinks about it, his mouth does taste kind of terrible. “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea, actually.”

“I’ll leave some money for Kun and we can take a few.”

Minhyung stays out in the garden to wash his face and Haechan rummages through the shop to snag some willow root. Genji moves to lay on Minhyung’s feet as he washes up and slaps her tail against his ankles, panting. He eventually couches to pet at her head, cooing quietly. Haechan returns from inside, holding something in his hand.

“Found them!” He tosses one toward Minhyung, who catches it just before Genji nips it out of the air. 

The root is bitter, but there’s a sweet undertone to it that keeps Minhyung from spitting it out and giving up. He watches Haechan fray the end of his to brush his teeth and follows after him. Haechan spits into the grass, and so does Minhyung.

“Oh my god, that’s fantastic!” Haechan moans. He makes his way to the spigot behind Minhyung and gurgles another mouthful of water. “Brushing my teeth is one of the best feelings ever, I’ve decided.”

Minhyung has to admit, it feels really good. He sets his root on the spigot and follows Haechan inside. He locks the front door and drags himself up the steps into their room, yawning. Exhaustion from the day is finally settling into his bones. The air in the room is hot and stuffy, so he doesn’t hesitate to take off his jacket and pull his shirt over his head, dropping them onto the floor by his feet.

“Are you tryin’ to seduce me, Lee Minhyung?” Haechan asks, untying the sash around his waist as well. “Getting undressed in front of me is a bold move for you.”

Minhyung looks down at his stomach, his face warm. There isn’t much to look at. “There’s nothing there, Haechan.”

When he looks back up, Haechan is also shirtless. The jewel in his belly button glints in a light that Minhyung can’t see, but his eyes are focused on his tattoos. They appear darker than they were the last time he’d seen them, and they’ve spread up his arms, stretching toward his shoulders. He steps forward and reaches out, running a hand across his shoulder and down his arm. Haechan inhales sharply, _almost_ quiet enough for Minhyung to miss, and goosebumps rise on his skin.

“Have they spread?”

“They do that sometimes,” Haechan mumbles, taking a step back. He turns and settles onto the mattress. “I’m tired, can we go to sleep?”

Minhyung suddenly feels self conscious about crawling into bed with his shirt off, but he shuffles forward anyway. He faces Haechan, drooping eyes sweeping over his face. The shadows hide the pink he knows is painted on his cheeks. His gaze falls on the genie’s ears.

“I miss your jewellery,” he blurts.

“Do you?” Haechan chuckles and tugs on his earlobe. “I miss it too. ‘M glad I can keep the belly button piercing, though. I just wish I could have kept my rings.”

“I know.” Minhyung closes his eyes. “You keep going to fidget with them like you forget they aren’t there.”

“Oh.” If he says anything else, Minhyung doesn’t hear it. The bed is so comfortable it lulls him to sleep almost instantly. He doesn’t dream about his mother burning in a river, or of Haechan disappearing. He dreams that he’s living in a little house surrounded by apricot trees in the middle of nowhere. Genji runs through the stream that cuts across the back garden, and there’s a hand on his shoulder. It’s warm and comforting and smaller than his own. He can’t see whose hand it is, but he has a pretty good idea.

He’s uncomfortably warm when Haechan wakes him up in the morning. Their skin sticks together and it almost hurts when the genie pulls them apart as he sits up. Minhyung can hear Shí clucking in the garden, but the sky is still dark. He sits up and yawns, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes while Haechan picks up his clothes and begins dressing. Minhyung bids a silent farewell to the tattoos on his arms.

“Do you really have to cover them up?” He asks, dragging himself out of bed as well and pulling his clothes on. Haechan sniffs as he ties the sash around his waist. “No one can recognise you.”

“They can’t recognise my face, but everyone knows the markings of the Jade Genie.”

“That’s stupid,” he pouts. “How are you supposed to go into hiding, then?”

Haechan laughs and adjusts Minhyung’s jacket for him. “Genies aren’t meant to go into hiding, Liu Munu. It’s not really part of our job.”

Minhyung huffs. It makes sense, he thinks as he follows Haechan downstairs. Genies don’t really have any reason to go into hiding. He chews the inside of his cheek and carries the kettle out back. Is he putting Haechan in danger by forcing him to hide with him? He fills the kettle and walks to the side of the garden to let the chickens out. One darts in front of his feet to avoid Genji and he almost tramples her in his daze. She cries out loudly, making Minhyung flinch.

“Everything alright out there?” Haechan asks when Minhyung returns to the kitchen. “Sounded like a fight broke out back there or something.”

“Everything’s fine, Bao ran in front of me as I was walking and I nearly stepped on her.” He places the kettle back on the hook and begins making a fire. “Genji was chasing her.”

Haechan hums. “What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing. I’m just tired.”

It’s not convincing even in the slightest, but the genie doesn’t push it and continues to stir the porridge on the stove. While the tea brews, Minhyung locates the dishes. Haechan scoops their breakfast up while Minhyung pours the tea and walks to the front of the shop to grab the route. He sits down beside Minhyung and picks up his mug, taking a slow sip.

“There are a few more houses than yesterday, and a handful of them are out in the country. I say we hit those houses first before the sun gets too hot. Then we can go around the houses in the city and closer to the shop.”

Minhyung nods and shovels a spoonful of porridge into his mouth. “Do we have any repeats?”

“Doesn’t look like it,” Haechan squints at the names. “I think we gave a few days worth of supplies to everyone yesterday.”

Minhyung clears his bowl and pushes it away, standing from his seat. “Clean up and I’ll feed Genji and the chickens?”

“What–?” Haechan has only just begun to eat, and looks at Minhyung incredulously. “What is wrong with you today? What’s got you in such a rush?”

He doesn’t say anything, flinging the back door open and stepping into the garden again. Genji trots to him, expecting attention, but Minhyung breezes past her and makes a beeline for the cool well to pull her breakfast out. He tosses her a slice of steak from the night before and picks up the chicken feed to scatter it across the grass. The birds flock to him, clucking loudly and nipping at each other to get first grab at the food.

Minhyung sets the feed down and walks to the spigot to rinse his hands and wash his face. Genji watches him curiously as he makes his way past her. It’s like everyone and everything can sense that he’s feeling weird, and it frustrates him. He smacks at his cheeks and shakes his head to clear his mind. 

“Come on, Lee Minhyung,” he mutters. “Get it together.”

Haechan is finishing up in the kitchen when he returns, and the genie gives him a smile that he does his best to return. The sun is beginning to shine through the windows at the front of the shop and Shí finally crows, urging the rest of the world to wake up. Minhyung rushes to pick up the list Kun wrote them and begins preparing the packages.

“We should have done this last night before bed,” he grumbles when Haechan joins him to help. “It’s going to get so hot while we’re out.”

“Well, if you want, we can split up,” Haechan offers. “There’s an even number of packages, we can just–”

“No,” he interrupts. “It’s fine, I’m just overreacting. It won’t actually be that bad. Kun isn’t even here yet, so we’re still over an hour ahead of when we were yesterday.”

They finish preparing the packages fairly quickly and haul them out to the front. Haechan locks the door behind them and picks up three crates and a cloth bag. Minhyung lugs the remaining two bags over his shoulder and balances the crates in one hand, holding them close to his chest. Haechan places the route on top of the boxes. “Maybe we should start memorising these the day before so we don’t have to carry them around.”

Minhyung silently agrees. He can already feel his shoulder straining against the weight of the sacks. “Where to first?”

\---

Time passes before Minhyung can even think about it. Soon enough, it’s well into the afternoon and they’re delivering their last package to an elderly woman near the river and accepting cold cucumber slices with flushed cheeks. Minhyung’s shoulder aches something awful from the bags and his other arm feels limp against his side.

“I feel like I’ve been to hell and back,” Haechan groans as he crunches on his last slice of cucumber. “Do you think it will get to be more than eight deliveries a day? I hope not.”

Minhyung shrugs. “I don’t know. It feels like everyone in Zhenxing relies on Kun for their things.”

Haechan opens the door to the shop. “We’d better get paid more if that’s the case.”

Minhyung laughs and steps inside. Kun is with a group of customers at the counter, seemingly lost in another one of his rambles. The people turn around at their entrance and Minhyung immediately recognises them as the men from the river the evening before. An uncomfortable feeling settles in his gut when their eyes widen at the sight of him and they quickly turn back around. He looks at Haechan, who squints at them before shrugging. Kun looks just as confused when he looks at the two of them.

“Genji has been making a bit of a ruckus out in the garden, would you mind checking on her? I haven’t been able to…” He smiles apologetically.

Haechan nods and shoves his hands into his jacket. “Here’s my half of the delivery payments.” Minhyung is quick to follow suit, pulling four coin pouches from his jacket as well. They set the money on the counter and Haechan smiles at the men who are still eyeing them with wide eyes. “Gentlemen.”

Genji is barking at the back door when they step outside. Minhyung has to kick his leg out to stop her from running inside and he looks up at Haechan, eyebrows furrowed.

“What is wrong with her?” He asks, kneeling to rub at her chest. she pants in his face, eyes still trained on the door. “I thought Kun might have been overreacting, but.”

“Maybe the men in there have a dog that she can smell,” Haechan offers, reaching down to rub at her head. “But she’s handled being around other animals perfectly fine before this.”

Minhyung shrugs. “I don’t know, maybe she’s just in a weird mood. Genji, do you want something to eat?”

That seems to grab her attention. She stills and a whine dies in her throat. Minhyung grins and stands, beckoning her to the cool well. He tears off a small piece of steak and tosses it to her. She catches it in the air and turns to find a spot in the sun to lay as she snacks. Minhyung unsticks his shirt from his body and blows down his chest.

“So she was just hungry, I guess.” He fans his face and looks toward Haechan, who is doing the same. ”You think those men are gone? It smelled like Kun was making something already.”

The shop has already been closed for lunch when they go back inside. In the kitchen, Kun is finishing up their lunch and Minhyung is quick to set the table while Haechan fills the water pitcher. Kun smiles at the two of them once they’ve all sat down. Haechan moves to dig in, but Minhyung’s hand on his knee stops him.

“Did you know those men that were in the shop earlier?” Kun asks nonchalantly, tapping his chopsticks on the table. “They seemed to recognise you.”

Minhyung frowns. “I didn’t recognise them, no.” Haechan shakes his head, mouth now too full to speak. “I mean, I saw them just yesterday evening by the river. I bumped into Shuying Xiaojie and I noticed them looking at us. I just assumed it was because they found her pretty, though.”

Kun stops chewing. “You saw Shuying last night? How was she?”

Minhyung smiles, a small smile playing on his lips. “She was just as fine as he’d been yesterday morning, Ge.”

Kun’s cheeks colour. “I was only wondering because–”

“Everyone knows you like her,” Haechan belches and Minhyung elbows him in the stomach. “Ow, what? It’s true!”

“That’s not how you speak to an elder, Tiaoning!” He scolds.

Kun laughs. “Don’t worry about it, I want you to be comfortable enough to be open and honest with me about anything.” He takes a sip of his broth, eyeing them over the rim of his bowl. “I feel like I don’t actually know a lot about you two. What brought you here in the first place?”

Minhyung’s heart leaps into his throat. “W-well, my parents died in the war–”

“That was years ago at this point! Why did you only come now? And with Tiaoning, if you aren’t siblings?”

Haechan clears his throat. “We were childhood friends, as I told you the day we met. After his parents were killed, my mother agreed to let him stay with us. My own father had been a soldier, and he didn’t make it through the second war.” There are tears in his eyes as he speaks and Minhyung is forced to mask his surprise. 

“She figured having two boys would prove helpful, since she was ill and couldn’t do much around the house,” he gulps. “She just died recently of health complications. I couldn't stand to stay in that house with neither of my parents around, and Munu wouldn’t leave me alone, so he came with me.”

Kun’s face softens immediately. “Oh, I’m so sorry. Both of you, for your losses and for making you talk about it.”

Haechan sniffles and looks down into his lap. Minhyung reaches a hand up to rub at his back. “You don’t have to apologise. I suppose we all knew it was coming. She’d been sick all through my childhood.”

“What were their names?”

“Mengrui and Kangtian.” His answer comes quickly.

“Li Mengrui and Kangtian? My father used to know them!” Kun sits back in his seat, bewildered. “Your parents used to live here, but they lost touch after they moved to Yuanbao.”

Haechan brightens. Minhyung has never felt more confused in his life. “Qian Tianbao? Now that I think about it, I might remember his name coming up!”

Kun smiles and shakes his head. “Small world, isn’t it?” He turns his attention back to Minhyung. “What about you, Munu? What were your parents’ names?”

Minhyung stiffens. “My parents?” His brain kicks into overdrive as Kun nods. “My mother’s name was Tanyi. M-my father’s name was Jianhao.”

“Hm, I don’t recognise those names, but I suppose it would make sense if they were in Yuanbao their whole lives.” A knock at the front door startles the three of them. “Oh! Would you two mind cleaning up back here? I must have lost track of time.” Kun hastily wipes his face on a napkin and stands. “Munu, finish your meal, you barely touched it! I’m sorry I brought up such a sore subject.”

“It’s okay, Ge.” Haechan bows his head. “We did owe you some information anyway.”

Kun disappears from the kitchen to reopen the shop and Minhyung immediately pulls Haechan closer. “Where the hell did that come from?” He hisses. “Have you been practicing lines or something?”

He laughs and pulls Minhyung’s hand from his sleeve. “I’ve been putting together a story while you’ve been off brooding. I figured it would come up eventually.” He starts picking up dishes and gestures to Minhyung’s bowl. “Eat up, Kun was right.”

Sighing, Minhyung picks up his chopsticks and begins eating. It’s cooled to a slightly disappointing room temperature, but it’s still delicious. He finishes quickly and stands to help clean up, but the genie shakes his head and takes his bowl.

“The shop is about to get really busy. You should go out and help, I’ll finish up in here.”

“Minhyung obeys, albeit a tad reluctantly. If it’s anything like it was yesterday, it’s going to get very stuffy and very loud. Kun shoots him a grateful look as soon as he catches sight of him. The shop is already fairly full, with a long line extending toward the door.

“We’re starting a new line at the left counter!” Minhyung calls, waving his hand. People flock to his side of the store, arms full of supplies. He sends a silent thanks to Lee Minho for teaching him basic addition and subtraction as he scribbles prices onto a piece of parchment.

“Li Tiaoning, please bring some rice to the scale!” Kun calls toward the kitchen. In an instant, Haechan appears from the back with a sack of rice over his shoulder and begins measuring out portions for asking customers.

If anything, today is worse than yesterday. A man spits on Haechan’s feet and yells at Kun when he learns that rice wine is sold at the shop across the way, not at The Burning Hill. A child throws up outside of the door and his mother pulls him away without saying anything, leaving it to the loud complaints of the customers to inform Kun. When the numbers finally begin to thin, Minhyung slumps against the back wall and closes his eyes.

“That...was terrible.”

“Thank goodness the shop is closed tomorrow,” Haechan says, crossing the floor to fan at Minhyung’s face.

“Don’t forget you’re helping me out in the garden tomorrow!” Kun thanks the last customer in the shop and they leave. “Your hands and back don’t know pain until you do some weeding.”

Haechan groans. “I forgot about that. Can we at least sleep in?”

“Nope.”

He groans louder, and Minhyung laughs.

Time moves slower from there on out. Minhyung takes inventory while Haechan feeds Genji and Kun helps the last customers of the night. When the shop finally closes, Kun looks about as exhausted as Minhyung feels.

“I normally stay at the shop on Saturdays so I can get straight to work in the mornings,” he explains, wiping the counters down. “So I’m going to ask that you two go to bed around the same time I do. I won’t be merciful if you stay up late and feel groggy in the morning.”

Minhyung and Haechan share a look. “I don’t think you need to worry about that,” the genie says. “Munu here only operates with the sun. Once that’s gone, he’s useless.”

Kun chuckles. “That’s good and well, but what about you, Tiaoning?” He wags a finger at him. “You seem like someone who would sneak out in the middle of the night and sleep until midday.”

Haechan puts his hands up in defense. “Not me at all.”

“Alright,” Kun eyes him suspiciously. “Well, since I’m spending the night here, I’ll make the two of you dinner. Why don’t you get Genji out of the tiny garden and take her for a walk around the district? I’m guessing she’s really only seen the river and the road to the shop?”

“That’s true,” Minhyung says. “And she’s seemed to have calmed down since this afternoon, so I think she’ll be okay.”

“I think she’s just antsy cooped up back there.” Kun wonders aloud. “Maybe you can take her on a few routes during the week. I bet she’d enjoy that.”

Haechan follows Minhyung out to the garden, where Genji leaps up from her spot near the roses. Her entire body wriggles with the force of her excitement and Haechan melts at the sight, taking a seat in front of her and allowing her to lick all over his face. Minhyung pulls the rope down and Genji perks again, woofing quietly. Haechan looks at him over his shoulder.

“Does she really need it?” He asks. “She was fine without one before.”

“And then she disappeared for several hours,” Minhyung reminds him. “Genji, come.”

Haechan wraps his arms around her and plants her. “Please, Munu, she’s such a good dog. She doesn’t need the rope, do you, baby?”

“Tiaoning–”

“I will kiss you to keep that leash away.”

Minhyung’s fingers tighten around the rope. “Tiaoning, stop messing around.”

“Then I’ll kiss you if you bring that thing anywhere near her neck.” He sticks his tongue out childishly.

“Fine,” Minhyung huffs and hangs the rope back up. “But if she runs away again, it’s entirely your fault.”

Haechan slumps. “Darn, I was kind of hoping you’d stand your ground and I’d get that kiss,” he pouts and stands. “Oh well, we’ve got the rest of our lives at his point.”

Minhyung rolls his eyes. “Let’s just go. There’s this big field outside of town that she might like to run around in.”

He walks around the side of the building and out of the garden, Haechan and Genji on his heels. The streets are busiest right now, with people buying dinner and having drinks with friends. Two old men are sat across the road rolling dice, laughing jauntily. The image of Kim Jisung flashes through Minhyung’s mind and he shudders. Haechan whistles to keep Genji close to them and grins at the road ahead, tugging on Minhyung’s sleeve.

“Let’s go! We don’t want to keep Kun waiting for us! Lead the way, Liu Munu.”

Genji scuttles between their legs the entire way to the field, sniffing intently at the ground. When she strays from the path and disappears from their sight, Haechan whistles again to bring her back. It’s quiet between them otherwise. It’s peaceful, though—one of those moments Minhyung wishes he could stay in forever. The sun kisses his skin gently and the wind blows to soothe him before the heat becomes too much. Haechan is glowing as always, but he never looks anything less than perfect, so the shock factor is beginning to wear off. Minhyung’s heart, on the other hand, won’t stop thumping in his chest.

“Woah,” Haechan breathes when they arrive. “This place is perfect, how did you know this was here?”

“I noticed it last night when I was walking Shuying home.”

It is perfect. The grass reaches their knees and swallows Genji completely, glowing golden in the sun. Orange and purple is scattered throughout and bees fly from flower to flower, buzzing around their heads as they go. There’s a bark, and two birds fly up from the ground near Genji, chirping loudly as they escape into a tree. Minhyung breathes and the air smells sweet, like blue poppies and rhododendrons. 

“I would like to fall in love here,” Haechan sighs, and Minhyung stills. “Imagine how romantic that would be.”

Minhyung sneaks a glance at him. He’s staring into the meadow dreamily, a small smile on his face. He’s strangely human at this moment. Vulnerability bleeds from him, and it’s beautiful, but it ends as quickly as it began when he shakes his head. Genji continues to bound through the grass, paying no mind to the two as she yaps and nips at the bugs flying around her head. A piercing cry sounds from the sky, and they look up.

“It’s Gu!” Haechan shouts, pointing at the bird. He soars down and lands on the genie’s shoulder, clicking his beak. “Hey bud,” he coos in Korean. “How ya doin’?”

He doesn’t stay for long before taking flight again, heading straight toward Genji. Minhyung locks up, worried for the bird’s life, but Genji’s entire body trembles with excitement and her ears draw back as she jumps and whines, as if she’s greeting an old friend.

“It’s so weird to see a dog and a bird get along,” Minhyung muses. “She just tried to eat the last one she saw.”

“The body’s a cloak,” Haechan begins. “I dunno exactly how it works, since I’m not an animal, but I’m guessin’ she isn’t seeing the bird that humans see.”

“Can you see him in his real form, then?”

He laughs. “Nah. I’ve still got human eyes.”

There are some things about Haechan that Minhyung will never understand. He looks back toward the horizon, squinting at the sun. He can feel the genie’s eyes on him and he burns under his gaze. He wants to say something, Minhyung knows it.

“Are you happy?”

The question startles him. His eyebrows draw together as he thinks and he chews on the inside of his cheek. He tastes the bitter hint of copper as he begins to bleed.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Haechan sighs and looks away. “Did your second wish really come true in the way that you wanted it to? Like, we both know the first one didn’t end well, but this one’s okay, I think.”

Minhyung thinks about it for a moment. “Yeah, I think it has. I know it’s only been a few days, but I’m sure this is the life that little me dreamed about at night.”

“What’s that mean?”

“When I was younger, the other kids always had ideas of what they were going to be, or what they wished they could become.” Minhyung moves to sit in the grass, and Haechan follows. “This one boy, Boo Ilhoon, was sure that he was going to grow up and become a teacher. In reality, he was going to take over his family’s farm, but it never hurt him to dream. Lots of kids looked forward to the day they managed shops or had a family to help them on their farm the way they had helped their own parents.”

“Okay, that’s cute ‘n all, but I wasn’t askin’ about your little friends across the river.”

“And I was getting there, Haechan,” Minhyung scolds. “Like I said, everyone my age knew what they wanted to do or they knew what they were bound to become. But my parents didn’t have a farm or a shop for me to take over when I was older. We had a small garden behind the house that my father planted while my mother was pregnant with me. If we were lucky enough, we’d grow enough to sell the extra vegetables in town and buy some rice.

“I didn’t have big plans for myself other than to simply survive to a well enough age. But I often found myself looking around and aching to find someone that loved me the way my father loved my mother. I wanted the love and acceptance and support that he gave her. I just wanted to be happy, because a lot of those kids told me something like love wasn’t possible for someone like me.”

Haechan stays quiet as he listens. He’s absentmindedly pulling grass from the ground around them and twirling it in his fingers, tying it in knots, and tossing it to the side before pulling another clump. He picks a daisy and begins pulling the petals one by one. “Bastards,” he whispers, and then his cheeks go pink, as if he hadn’t meant to say anything out loud. It makes Minhyung smile.

“Obviously the first, what, two days? After meeting you were awful. I lost just about everything in the blink of an eye and a huge part of me blamed you for that. But now that I’m here, I think I’m finally starting to get everything I used to dream of.”

“Aww,” Haechan drops the daisy in his lap and leans forward, elbows dropping onto Minhyung’s knees. “Are you sayin’ I make you feel loved and accepted and supported? Does this mean I’m finally gettin’ my kiss?”

He moves closer, his eyes hooded in an attempt to look alluring, but Minhyung shoves him away, laughing nervously. “Well, Kun has also played a very large part in this, it’s not just you.” He cringes immediately at his words.

Haechan slumps, pouting up at Minhyung as he stands and brushes off his pants, whistling for Genji. “Well, if you’re gonna break my heart like that, you might as well help me up, at the very least.”

Sighing, Minhyung pulls the genie to his feet as Genji bounds through the grass, tongue lolling out the side of her mouth. She halts at his feet, her tail thumping wildly on the ground and stirring the flower petals abandoned in the dirt. Minhyung looks between the dog and the boy.

“Shall we? I’m starving.”

They return to town quickly, due to Genji catching sight of a field mouse and bolting ahead, forcing Minhyung and Haechan to chase after her, yelling their throats raw. She stops only after trampling a wandering child, her tail drooping between her legs as he starts crying and catches the attention of his mother. Minhyung nearly bends himself in half as he apologises. Haechan snickers behind him, and he glares.

“This is why we need her on a leash, Li Tiaoning,” he bites out. “Next time, you won’t be able to convince me otherwise.”

Haechan sticks his tongue out and crinkles his nose before skipping the rest of the way to the shop, leaving Minhyung alone in a cloud of dust. When he catches up, the genie is standing outside the shop, watching people move past him. Minhyung doesn’t think he notices his presence until he takes a deep breath and begins speaking, eyes still trained on the passersby.

“I really hope things stay as good for you as they are now.” With that, he turns and walks inside.

Minhyung stands still for a moment, confused. Beside him, Genji whines impatiently. The smells of dinner are wafting through the door and through the open windows of The Burning Hill. His mouth waters when a gust of wind blows the smell directly toward his face and it’s enough to snap him out of his daze. He leads Genji into the garden and refills her water dish before heading inside. Kun greets him with a smile.

“Just in time! Tiaoning, fetch some bowls, please.”


	5. AVENOIR

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His eyes shine with the light from the moon bleeding through the window and as much as Minhyung wants to look away, he can’t. He stares back, into eyes cast with so much worry it makes him sick to his stomach. Their fingers are intertwined loosely between them, and the genie squeezes gently, asking a silent question. Minhyung can’t find the right words to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AVENOIR  
> n.  
> the desire that memory could flow backward.
> 
> this chapter makes me weirdly emotional....hope u enjoy
> 
> [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/17R4TqySz4Bg3GHTwMdpv0?si=S96zAbafR4Otqq_n2FRZvw)

“Munu, would you mind going out and buying some radish seeds?” Kun calls from his spot in the garden. “I forgot we were out, otherwise I would have had you get some on your deliveries yesterday.”

Minhyung stands and wipes his hands clean on the rag thrown over his shoulder. “Of course, Ge. Where do I get them?”

“You remember Li Yongqin? I buy all of my seeds from him.”

Minhyung can feel Haechan’s eyes on him as he nods his head, smiling tightly. “How much should I take?”

“Take ten wen from the register up front. Yongqin will give you just the right amount, he knows what he’s doing.”

“Kun Ge, may I accompany Munu?” Haechan pipes, stepping away from the cool well. “We still get lost on our way to the country, I’m worried–”

“No, Tiaoning. I’m going to need your help here.” Kun shakes his head, eyebrows drawing together. “Munu is perfectly capable of going by himself. And if he gets lost, he knows to ask for help. Lots of people buy their seeds from Yongqin.”

“Tiaoning, it’ll be okay,” Minhyung assures. “It’s a super quick trip, I’m sure nothing bad will happen.”

“Of course nothing bad will happen!” Kun sings. “This is a very safe district, especially during the day. But if you’re really worried, Munu can take Genji with him.”

Haechan mutters under his breath and grabs at Minhyung’s hand as he passes him. “Straight there and back. I don’t want you to come back and tell me he assaulted you or something.”

He rolls his eyes. “Yes, straight there and back. Don’t become completely useless to Kun Ge because you’re thinking about me being alone with Yongqin.”

The genie drops his hand and takes a step back. “Yeah, whatever. Just hurry. And take Genji with you.”

Minhyung sighs and whistles for Genji, pulling the rope from the water pump and leading her into the shop to pull money from the front. He sneaks a glance back outside as he’s counting coins and locks eyes with Haechan, who quickly turns and begins speaking with Kun. Something swirls uncomfortably in his stomach but he ignores it, locking the money box and shoving it back under the counter. He shouts goodbye as he leaves through the front, Genji hot on his heels, and hears Kun thank him. Haechan’s words echo in his mind.

It’s much cooler in the world today than it had been yesterday. The heat from the sun still nips at Minhyung’s skin, but a gentle breeze counters it, making him shiver. A woman throws water over a little girl, whose shoulders rise to her ears as she shrieks and runs away. She comes back and asks for more, and her mother laughs. Minhyung’s chest tightens in longing.

The meat stall he and Haechan had gone to just days before is buzzing with activity but the woman still calls out to him, tempting him with the smell of pork and garlic. Genji whines and licks her snout beside him, but he bows apologetically and continues down the road, ducking behind a building to find the path into the country. It’s as if he enters a different world once the path becomes surrounded by weeds and wildflowers. The noises of the district become soft and muted, and the birds grow infinitely louder. He pulls the rope from around Genji’s neck and lets her dart ahead to sniff at the trees. A bee buzzes around Minhyung’s head and lands on his arm, only setting off again when he jumps and smacks at his elbow. 

He closes his eyes and tilts his head toward the sky as he walks, feeling the warmth of the sun bleed through his eyelids. When he breathes in, there’s a faint smell of honey and wet grass, and it makes him want to lie down and take a nap in the field just beside him. When he opens his eyes again, Genji is walking beside him, her nose in the ground, and the trees surrounding Yongqin’s house are coming into view. If he looks close enough, he can see thin, tan arms working at the soil.

As if he senses their presence, Yongqin looks up before Minhyung can come through the wall of trees and smiles brightly.

“Is that Liu Munu?” He stands to greet him and his eyes fall on Genji. “And a dog?”

Minhyung bows in greeting, already feeling warmth in his cheeks. “Hello, Yongqin Xiansheng. I hope we aren’t interrupting anything.”

“Please, call me Ge.” He steps closer and crouches down to rub at Genji’s ears. “What brings you here today? Isn’t Kun’s shop closed?”

“Oh!” Minhyung reaches into his pocket and pulls out the coins from the shop. “Kun Ge forgot that he was out of radish seeds and only remembered today while we were working out in the garden. He sent me to buy some from you.” He places the money in Yongqin’s hand. “He said you’d know how much he needed?”

“Ah, of course,” he begins. “And here I was, hoping you just wanted to see little old me.” Minhyung’s face burns. “Why don’t you two come inside? Have something to drink while I fetch the seeds.”

Minhyung leads Genji into the house, rewinding the rope around her neck, and quickly notices the change in decor. Flowers are hanging from the ceiling, dried and dropping petals onto the worn floor. He hisses at Genji when she tries to eat them, tugging her to the table. There’s a vase of purple and orange wildflowers in the middle of the table and he wonders briefly as he sits if they’re from the meadow he and Haechan had visited together.

A cup of tea is placed in front of him, bringing him out of his head. Yongqin gives him a smile. “Wait right here, I’ll grab the seeds from the back.”

Minhyung nods and takes a sip from his mug, watching the man retreat to the back of the house. Beside him, Genji lays down and groans, her tail sweeping against the floor. There is a needle felt rabbit resting on a chair by the back door and its eyes stare into Minhyung’s, making him squirm in his seat. It’s cute and beautifully made, but it makes him uneasy. He can hear Yongqin humming faintly, sweet whispers of a tune he doesn’t recognise. Haechan’s words replay in his mind again and he chugs the rest of his tea.

Yongqin returns shortly after and takes a seat across from him, clutching a small bag of seeds. Minhyung looks between his hands and face curiously.

“I want you to come back tomorrow, if you’re able.” Minhyung locks up, eyes wide. “Just for some lunch, maybe a drink.”

“I…” He trails off, gnawing on his lip. “I don’t work tomorrow. Kun Ge said he’d give me and Tiaoning some time to relax and explore the district every week after we helped in the garden.”

Yongqin brightens. “Does that mean you’ll come?” He stands and slides the packet across the table.

Minhyung nods slowly, pocketing and seeds and standing as well. His heart is pounding in his chest as Yongqin walks him to the door and pets Genji one more time.

“I look forward to it. Any time in the afternoon works for me, I’m busy in the garden from six to eleven thirty.” He grabs at the sleeve of Minhyung’s shirt, blushing. “Maybe come alone, please? I don’t think your friend likes me very much.”

Minhyung nods again, swallowing the lump in his throat. “I’ll come half past noon,” he croaks.

Yongqin’s grip loosens on his sleeve and he smiles one more time. “Can’t wait, Liu Munu. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Minhyung ducks under the trees and speedwalks away as fast as he can without looking suspicious. Genji wheezes against the rope and he quickly takes it off, letting her run ahead. The seeds in his pocket feel as if they’re burning a hole in his pants. Another bee flies around his head as he passes the meadow and he swats it away absentmindedly, ignoring the angry buzz of the insect as it chases after him. His mind feels foggy with the memory of what just happened. 

Genji is sitting in front of the shop accepting attention from passersby by the time Minhyung makes it back into town. He leads her into the back and hangs up the rope, giving Kun the packet of seeds with a small smile. He quickly gets to work pulling at weeds in the corner of the garden and Shí scuttles over to him, clucking and poking at Minhyung’s hands with his beak. Minhyung shoos him away and he moves to bother Genji, who’s now laying in the sun.

“The visit was painless, yes?” Kun asks from the other side of the garden. Minhyung hums, not tearing his eyes from the particularly stubborn weed Haechan must have left for him to pull. “See, Tiaoning? I told you he’d make it there and back in one piece.”

“I’m sorry I ever doubted you, Munu,” Haechan coos. “Maybe you’re more capable than I thought.”

“It’s really not hard to remember your way around after the first couple of times,” Kun continues as if Haechan hadn’t spoken. “It’s like making rice. Hard to forget once you succeed the first time.”

The weed finally pulls loose from the ground, sending Minhyung falling back. He hisses in pain and inspects his hands. They’re covered in dirt, but there are small drops of blood forming where the calluces in his hands once were. He must have ripped them open.

Haechan appears behind him with a wet cloth, as if he’d anticipated it. “The same thing happened to me while I was trying to get that damn thing out,” he hums, gingerly wiping Minhyung’s hands of the dirt and blood. “That thing really didn’t want to budge.”

Minhyung shakes his head, watching the cloth run over his palms. “I guess not.”

“Are you doing okay?” The genie asks, his tone going soft. “Did something happen with Yongqin?”

“No, of course not.” Minhyung swallows thickly as he tries to come up with an excuse. “I smacked a bee and it got angry at me, so I had to run most of the way back.”

Haechan huffs a laugh against his cheek. “Oh, so you can’t take a little bee sting? How sad.”

“A group formed, actually, which is why I started running.” Minhyung feels slightly offended despite his story not being true. “And it’s really humid in the country today, so I got a little lightheaded.”

“I see, I see,” Haechan says, and Minhyung has a feeling he isn’t actually listening to anything he’s saying. “Let me get some wraps for your hands and then we can help Kun plant some of those seeds you brought back.”

He disappears into the shop and Minhyung makes his way across the grass to kneel beside Kun, who’s busying himself with a wooden trowel. Haechan returns quickly, whistling a tune that Minhyung recognises as the song Yongqin had been humming. A small shiver goes down his spine. The genie places a cup of water beside his knee and wraps Minhyung’s hands, whispering instructions to wash them again before bed and drink the water. He takes small sips and watches the two continue to dig small holes in the planting box for the radishes.

“Do you two know what you’re going to do with your day off tomorrow?” Kun asks as he pats down a mound of dirt. “Explore? Lay around the shop?”

“I think I might stay home for the day,” Haechan sighs, handing Minhyung a trowel. “I worry that Genji has been a little lonely since we started working. Maybe I’ll spend some time with her.” Minhyung knows he’s thinking about Gu as well.

“And you, Munu?”

“Oh, um.” He stalls for a moment and both Kun and Haechan stop their work to look at him. “On my way to Yongqin Ge’s, I think I saw a secret path that leads further into the trees. I might take a meal and see where that takes me.”

“Ah, that sounds lovely!” Kun says. “I think I’ve been down that path once or twice. If we’re talking about the same one, there should be a little pond that a family of ducks likes to swim in. It’s very good for meditation.”

Minhyung nearly heaves a sigh of relief. Of course he hadn’t seen a hidden path, but he thanks the gods that there are at least one or two to make his lie believable.

“That does sound really nice, actually. Maybe Genji and I can come along and we can find the pond together,” Haechan suggests.

“Well,” Minhyung laughs nervously. “I think I might want to go alone.” Haechan gives him a look, frowning. “If it’s nice then we should definitely take Genji with us next week, but I would really like to be alone while I’m there tomorrow.”

An awkward silence hangs over the three of them as Haechan continues to stare down Minhyung, who fiddles with the trowel in his hand. There’s something unrecognisable behind the confusion in his eyes, but before he can decipher it, he looks away and drops two seeds into the hole Minhyung has made.

“That’s fine. I think I would have complained about my feet hurting the entire time, anyway.”

The conversation ends there, but Minhyung knows there are still questions to be answered the moment he and Haechan are alone. They finish patting the dirt over the seeds and Kun showers the area with water before sighing loudly and wiping his forehead with the back of a dirty hand.

“Alright, how about we wash up and make some lunch? Then we can get to trimming the flowers.”

Minhyung and Haechan hum in agreement and follow Kun to the spigot. He washes up quickly and heads inside first, leaving the two of them alone. Haechan tugs on Minhyung’s sleeve as he rinses his fingers, careful to not wet the wraps.

“Hey,” he whispers in Korean. “Why dontcha want me comin’ to the pond with you? Is there somethin’ you’re not telling me?”

“No,” Minhyung assures, guilt rising in his throat as he makes up another lie. “I didn’t want to mention it in front of Kun.” He chews on the inside of his cheek. “Tomorrow is my mother’s birthday.”

Understanding washes over Haechan’s face and it only makes Minhyung feel worse. “Oh. Of course, that makes sense.” He takes a step back, sucking on his teeth. “Wow, I feel horrible now. I’m sorry I was suspicious, of course you should have time alone tomorrow.”

“Don’t apologise, you didn’t know.” He can’t bring himself to look Haechan in the eye. “You wash up, okay? I’m going to see if Kun needs any help.”

He leaves the genie in the garden and makes a beeline to the kitchen, ready to distract himself with meal prep. Kun gives him a look as he cuts into a head of cabbage.

“Are you doing alright? You look a little pale.”

Minhyung nods. “I’m doing perfectly fine, thank you. What can I do to help?”

\---

Haechan stares at him that night.

His eyes shine with the light from the moon bleeding through the window and as much as Minhyung wants to look away, he can’t. He stares back, into eyes cast with so much worry it makes him sick to his stomach. Their fingers are intertwined loosely between them, and the genie squeezes gently, asking a silent question. Minhyung can’t find the right words to say.

The next morning, Haechan watches him from the bed with concerned eyes. 

“Are you sure you’re going to be okay today?” He asks as Minhyung pulls on a shirt. “If you need anything, you know you can always talk to me and I’ll help in any way I can.”

Minhyung forces a small smile. “Yeah, I’ll be okay. I just really need to spend some time with her today, I think.”

“Yes, of course.”

Haechan stands from the bed and stretches his arms over his head. It’s rare now, to see the Jade Genie looking like himself. The tattoos on his arms are visible in full and they curl up to his elbows, pulsing like a heartbeat. With Kun gone for the day, he’s dressed down to his normal pants, and Minhyung can admire the muscles in his legs. His skin looks impossibly soft and he wants nothing more than to pull him back into bed and sleep through the day. The jewel in his belly button shifts with every movement. It’s mesmerising. Seeing him so open and so worried only makes the guilt burn stronger in his chest, so when Haechan reaches out to touch Minhyung, he takes a step back, swallowing thickly. His hand drops back down to his side, curling into a fist.

“I’ll see you later, yeah?”

Minhyung doesn’t say anything, acknowledging his words with a simple nod before turning and ducking out of the room. He closes the door behind him and stands still for a moment, closing his eyes and swallowing the bile rising in his throat. He takes the steps slowly, white knuckling the banister the entire way down.

He locks the front of the shop with the key Kun had left them and makes his way down the street. It’s quieter than usual, as most of the shops and stalls are closed for the day. A few children run about, kicking a ball between them while their parents watch with smiles from their porches.

The air grows cooler and more damp the closer Minhyung gets to Yongqin’s home. It feels as though the universe is begging him, _Turn around. Please, just go back to Haechan._ But he trudges on anyway, fighting desperately to ignore the way his heart is pounding against his ribs.

When he stops in front of Yongqin’s door, Minhyung is trembling so violently he worries his knees might give out. He raises a fist to knock, but the door swings open before he can rap his knuckles against the wood. He’s greeted by a smiling face.

“I didn’t think you’d actually come,” Yongqin says as he opens the door wider to allow Minhyung inside. “At least, I thought that friend of yours would force himself along with you.”

He laughs nervously as he steps into the house. It smells like bread and fish. “He was feeling tired today, I don’t think he would have come even if he knew I was seeing you.”

Yongqin’s eyes go wide, his eyebrows shooting up. “You didn’t even tell him you were coming to see me? I’m your dirty little secret, aren’t I?” Minhyung doesn’t say anything and moves to take a seat at the table. “I caught some Mackerel for us to eat. It’s gone into the soup, and while it’s cooking I figured you and I could try this bread recipe I recently thought up.”

“That sounds lovely, thank you.”

Yongqin knocks against the table and turns to unwrap the loaf of bread sitting on the counter. “I put cinnamon in it, as an experiment. I hope you don’t mind the taste.” He pulls out a knife and runs the blade along the crust, turning to show Minhyung. “You see this glaze here? Baijiu and vanilla. I really hope it will taste good.”

“I’ve never had Baijiu before,” Minhyung muses, leaning closer to watch Yongqin cut into the loaf. “Is it good?”

“Really? You’ve never tried it?” Hands freeze and drop the knife on the table, and Yongqin turns his back to Minhyung again. “Don’t let the bread be your first experience of it. Here.” He sets an ornate ceramic mug in front of him. “Try it. It’s delicious.”

Hesitantly, Minhyung brings the mug to his nose, sniffing at its contents. It smells like poison, and he has to repress a gag, but Yongqin is watching him with excited eyes so he knocks his head back and gulps it down in one go. He sputters and sets the mug back on the table with almost too much force as he begins to choke. Faintly, through his coughing, he can hear Yongqin laugh.

“Oh my goodness, Munu!” He exclaims. “You’re meant to sip it! It’s far too strong to drink down like water, especially if you’ve never tried it!”

“And you didn’t think to tell me that before letting me drink it?” Minhyung wheezes. A tear spills down his cheek and he wipes it away hastily. “Fuck, my throat is burning.”

“Give me a moment.” Yongqin takes the mug and disappears out the back door, and Minhyung is left alone to try not to throw up. When he returns, he pushes the mug straight into his hands. “This is just some water, drink it quickly. We can’t have you drunk on our first date.” 

Minhyung chugs the water, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. “First date?”

“Well of course,” Yongqin laughs. “Why else would I ask you to come alone?”

He immediately goes back to cutting the bread into thick slices, leaving Minhyung to process his words in silence. He squints across the table, and supposes Yongqin does look like he’s dressed up a bit. His skin is clean and shines when it hits the light just right. His hair has even been braided back.

“I’m sorry I’m not more dressed up.”

Yongqin shakes his head, smiling. He slides a slice of bread across the table and Minhyung blinks hard to focus his eyes. He’s never had anything stronger than rice wine, and warmth is beginning to spread through his chest.

“Dig in,” Yongqin says, sitting down. “This is my trial loaf, so I haven’t had it either.”

Minhyung picks up his slice and gives it a sniff as well. It, thankfully, does not smell like poison like the Baijiu did, but instead faintly sweet, with a hint of cinnamon twinging at his senses. He takes a bite and his tongue unconsciously runs over the glaze hardened on the crust. It melts instantly at the warmth and the taste of Baijiu becomes more apparent, but the vanilla balances it out and it becomes wonderfully sweet. The taste of cinnamon is barely there.

“I think it could use more cinnamon,” Yongqin says as he mulls over his first bite. “What do you think? Is it good?”

“It’s delicious,” he mumbles through his second mouthful. “You’re amazing.”

Yongqin laughs. “Bread was the first thing I ever learned to make, so I’ve sort of perfected it. Kun likes to call me a bread genie.”

Minhyung doesn’t realise his eyes are closed until Haechan’s face suddenly appears behind his eyelids, startling him out of his tipsy daze. He begins to feel sick to his stomach and he sets the bread back on the cloth, nudging it away. Yongqin stops chewing, looking at him curiously.

“Are you okay?”

“Um, yeah. Sorry.” Minhyung shakes his head. “It’s a little bit heavy for me right now, with nothing in my stomach but alcohol.”

“Oh, of course.” Yongqin stands and begins wrapping the bread back up. “The baijiu in the glaze is probably also a little daunting now. The soup should be done soon, I’ll let you take the rest of this home to Kun and your friend.”

“His name is Tiaoning.”

Yongqin is quiet for a moment before he turns and offers a small smile. “Right, Tiaoning.”

Minhyung feels uncomfortable. He squirms in his seat and continues to watch Yongqin bustle around the kitchen, wiping the knife on his shirt and stirring the soup, giving it an experimental taste. He pulls out another loaf of bread from a small box and begins slicing that as well. Minhyung twirls his finger in a droplet of water on the table. He still feels a little dizzy, as if he would stumble if he tried to stand. He has to squint to see his fingers clearly in front of him. Haechan won’t stop returning to his thoughts.

“I think the soup is done!” Yongqin announces, and sets the second loaf of bread in the middle of the table. “This is a plain loaf, don’t worry. Just something to eat with the soup.” Minhyung moves to help set the table, but a hand on his shoulder stops him. “It’s okay, you stay seated. You’re my guest.”

So he sits still. Deep down, he’s thankful, as the simple idea of standing makes his limbs feel as if they’re made of lead. He thinks he could sink into the chair and become one with it if he thought hard enough about it.

A steaming bowl is placed in front of him. There’s a mackerel head floating just at the surface, swirling around the red broth with what looks like chives. When he swirls his spoon in the bowl, rice noodles rise to the top before settling at the bottom just as quickly as they’d come.

“Noodles?” Minhyung looks up at Yongqin, who’s taken his seat across the table and plucked a slice of bread from the platter. “These take ages to make from scratch, don’t tell me…”

Yongqin laughs, and for the first time since he’s arrived, Minhyung notices a small blush on his cheeks. “I’ve been wanting to make some for myself for a while now. You were just the push I needed to finally get up and do it.”

“Wow,” Minhyung whispers under his breath. “I can’t wait.”

“Well, go ahead! I’m anxious to see what you think.”

Minhyung’s first thought when he shovels a spoonful into his mouth is _spicy._ His tongue burns at the taste of hot pepper. The mackerel falls apart in his mouth beautifully though, and there’s a slight hint of ginger as he chews through it. He sits back in his seat, still holding the spoon in his hand, and looks across the table.

“This is fantastic.”

Yongqin lights up at the praise. “Thank you!” He finally picks up his spoon and begins eating, chewing slowly as he works through the flavours. “I should have put more of that pepper in.”

“Oh my god, no,” Minhyung interjects. “It’s so spicy already, I can feel my sinuses draining.”

Yongqin’s head falls forward as he laughs, and Minhyung spends a second too long comparing it to the way Haechan throws his head back when he laughs. “I can’t believe you’re so sensitive to spice! Are you a foreigner or something?”

His accusation is anything but serious, and Minhyung has to remind himself of that as he laughs nervously. “You caught me.”

Yongqing giggles to himself and stands. “I’m going to have a drink… Do you want to try the Baijiu again?” He smiles teasingly. “Maybe sip it this time?”

Minhyung swallows down a mouthful of noodles and looks at the man in front of him. His cheeks are pink again, surely from the heat of the soup. He smiles and Minhyung wonders what could go wrong.

“Sure, why not?”

They eat in a relatively comfortable silence as Minhyung feels himself get drunker. They make a few comments about the weather or the state of the gardens, and Minhyung is beginning to lose focus of the world around him, so he stops drinking. They reach for a slice of bread at the same time and Yongqin’s face goes up in flames when their middle fingers lock. Minhyung quickly pulls away, surrendering the slice to the boy across from him. He doesn’t reach for another.

“At least let me help you with the dishes,” Minhyung insists when Yongqin begins clearing the table after their meal. “You’ve done far too much already.”

He sighs and jerks his head in the direction of the back door. “Fine. I wash my dishes out in the stream behind my house. Bring that cloth with you.”

Minhyung stands on wobbly legs and follows in muted curiosity. He’s never seen the back of his house before. Is it similar to the garden behind the shop? No, of course it isn’t. The Burning Hill is in the middle of a busy district. Yongqin lives in the country with a stream in his backyard.

It’s far more overgrown than Minhyung would have expected, but there’s something strangely familiar about the way it looks. There are no neatly organised planter boxes like there are in the front, and it seems like he does hardly any planting in the back. But the mint by the door that Yongqin pulls a leaf from to chew on as he walks seems far too convenient to be natural.

The stream is small, but it bubbles happily, almost as if it’s greeting the two of them as they approach. Genji would love it.

“It’s beautiful back here,” Minhyung says, kneeling down beside Yongqin and throwing the cloth over his shoulder to wet his hands in the water. “I bet you could drink from this, it’s so clear.”

“I do, sometimes.” Yongqin begins rinsing the dishes. “I clean my clothes and my dishes here, and I drink from here when I’m working. I even bring this water in to bathe.”

Minhyung does his best to not imagine him bathing as he takes a bowl from Yongqin and pats it dry. He sets it on a rock in the sun and takes the second bowl from his hand. “I’ve always wanted to live in the country like this. It’s so quiet and peaceful. It’s almost perfect.”

“Almost?”

Minhyung hums. “It’s a little bit too quiet for me. I think I would get very lonely if I stayed for too long.”

“There’s always the possibility of bringing someone with you.” Yongqin passes the soup pot his way.

“That is true.”

They remain silent after that. Yongqin watches Minhyung dry off the spoons and the knife before standing and picking up the bowls. He spits his mint leaf into the water and turns, heading back to the house. Minhyung stands quickly, his head spinning, and drops the utensils into the pot to carry them inside. He smacks into a hanging bunch of flowers.

“Munu, I need you to know something,” Yongqin says as soon as the dishes are put away. He takes a heavy breath and turns to face Minhyung, but keeps his eyes trained on the floor.

“I’m probably only saying this because I’m a little drunk but,” he pauses and looks up. Minhyung squirms. “I like you.”

“Oh.”

“Oh? That’s all you have to say?” Hurt flashes across Yongqin’s features before he straightens, frowning. “It’s because of Tiaoning, isn’t it?”

Minhyung shakes his head before he can think. “No! There’s nothing going on between us, he’s nothing but a friend. I’m sorry, I just don’t know what to say. No one has ever liked me before.”

“Tiaoning likes you.”

“He _doesn’t_ ,” Minhyung groans and drags his hands down his face. “I really need people to stop acting like they know everything about mine and Tiaoning’s feelings for each other. We aren’t some things for you to take notes on and study.” Yongqin looks away again, swaying on his feet. “Look, I’m sorry, that was rude. I’m just… I’m also drunk and I’m shocked and I don’t know my own feelings yet.”

Yongqin’s head snaps up, eyes wide. “That wasn’t a rejection.” He takes a step forward.

Minhyung gnaws on his bottom lip. “No, it wasn’t.”

“Munu…” He’s close now—so close that Minhyung can feel his breath puff hotly against his chin as he speaks. “Can I try something?” A hand slides up his arm and stops on his shoulder.

“Yeah,” he croaks. “Go ahead.”

With his permission, Yongqin stretches up on his toes, tugging Minhyung closer. He can feel his breath on his lips now. He wonders if his heartbeat is as loud in Yongqin’s ears as it is in his own.

The first kiss is soft, tentative. It’s similar to a kiss a child would plant on his grandmother’s cheek in greeting. It’s fleeting and barely there, but it must have some sort of magic in it, because Minhyung feels his entire body light up. He’s still dazed seconds later, after Yongqin has settled back on his feet to look up at him expectantly.

“Munu? Are you okay?”

“Kiss me again.”

There’s no hesitation this time. Yongqin’s lips are back on his as soon as the words leave his mouth. It’s still shy, but Minhyung can feel the hunger burning against Yongqin’s lips and it makes him boil. He paws awkwardly at his arms, not knowing where to put his hands, and Yongqin guides them to his hips, not breaking the kiss. Minhyung squeezes and marvels at the way Yongqin stops breathing momentarily. 

Their teeth collide and Minhyung whines into his mouth, his eyes flying open. Before he can even begin to comprehend what’s going on, Yongqin is shoving him into the chair by the door and settling down on his thighs. A tug on Minhyung’s hair leaves him gasping and Yognqin takes the opportunity to dive into his mouth, running his tongue behind his teeth.

“F-fuck Munu, I— _fuck_ ,” Yongqin moans against his lips.

It makes Minhyung whine again. Arousal licks at his stomach like a small flame that Yongqin is coaxing to life. His lips move to Minhyung’s jaw and his hips buck up when teeth press against his skin. Their breaths hitch and Yongqin moves back to look at him. Minhyung can’t even focus his eyes. To think he’s never been kissed before this, but he’s half hard in his pants because of a man he barely knows.

A tentative roll of Yongqin’s hips shatters Minhyung’s train of thought completely. He makes a quiet choking sound and throws his head back to gape at the ceiling. Lips reattach themselves to his neck and it’s _sloppy,_ all teeth and tongue against his skin until he can feel a line of saliva roll down his neck and sink into the fabric of his shirt. His ears ring as he takes Yongqin’s hips in a vice grip and grinds them down against his own. It tears the mouth from his neck and a cry leaves Yongqin’s lips, bouncing off the walls. Minhyung can’t hear anything but that noise.

“Please,” he gasps. “Please, please, I need–”

“Tell me, Munu,” Yongqin whispers, hips stuttering. “What do you need?”

Minhyung doesn’t actually have any idea what he needs. So he pulls Yongqin’s head down and devours him. He bites on his lip until Yongqin cries out in pain and the coppery taste of blood touches his tongue. He licks over the area and feels Yongqin’s moan thrum through him. Minhyung can’t breathe. Their teeth knock together again and the dull pain makes his hips jump. He pulls away and hides his head in Yongqin’s neck to muffle the expletives leaving his mouth with every breath. The flame in his stomach is spreading quickly—his fingers, his neck, his groin—it all feels dangerously hot and Yongqin won’t stop _panting_ into his ear.

“Yongqin, I think–”

“I know, I know,” he whines. “I know.”

Yongqin’s hips drive down against Minhyung with so much force it nearly sends him reeling. He hiccups a moan into his neck and tightens his hands in his hair and on his waist. It’s building, building and Minhyung can’t get enough air in his lungs when suddenly, a palm presses hard against the bulge in his pants and _twists._ Minhyung’s teeth clamp down on Yongqin’s neck as the heat explodes and his hips buck up uncontrollably. Yongqin sobs, stutters, tenses. Minhyung counts three seconds of him not breathing, three seconds of him twitching, before he melts into his lap with a gasp.

Minhyung lifts his head and presses their lips together one more time, letting Yongqin pant into his mouth as he tries to regain his strength. When he pulls away, Minhyung inspects the mark he’s made on his neck. A deep, ugly bruise is already beginning to form, so he cranes his neck to kiss at the area, running his tongue over it gently. Yongqin shudders above him.

His pants are uncomfortable and his shirt sticks to his back when he leans forward to plant Yongqin on his feet. It’s quiet between them now, and Minhyung observes the flushed boy in front of him. He looks so small, even younger than Minhyung. His chest is flushed pink and the colour spreads up his neck and into his face. His skin is glistening. The wet spot on the front of his pants makes Minhyung blush and look away.

“Um, I’m sorry if I–”

“Don’t apologise.” Minhyung rubs his hands across the back of his neck. “We both acted, it wasn’t just you.”

“Did you hate it?”

Minhyung stares at the ground and picks at his cuticles. No. He didn’t hate it at all. In fact, if it didn’t feel selfish for him to stay, he would. Not even Haechan, in all his desperation to escape, would do something like this. He simply makes Minhyung’s life a little easier, and the underlying message is always uncovered. A plea for freedom in return for his tricks and pleasures.

Minhyung starts violently. Haechan.

“I-I need to go.” He stands and peels his clothes from his sticky body. “I’m sorry, I really need to go.”

“Oh,” Yongqin says, his voice tiny. “I understand.”

That makes Minhyung stop short. Yongqin won’t look at him. He stares at the ground and drags his foot against the wood, folding his hands behind his back. His ears have gone red in humiliation and Minhyung burns with guilt. He takes a step forward and tilts Yongqin’s chin up.

Without pausing to think, Minhyung leans forward and captures his lips in a short kiss. He knows from the sharp inhale through Yongqin’s nose that he’s surprised, and before he can push back against his lips, Minhyung is pulling away and stepping back.

“I didn’t hate it. I’m sorry, I just remembered I have somewhere to be.” The lie burns his tongue so he leans forward to kiss him again. “I think I must like you back.”

The smile that grows on Yongqin’s lips is impossibly bright. It makes Minhyung ache. “I’ll hold you to that, Liu Munu.”

They part with one more kiss and an offer to be walked home. Minhyung refuses. He already feels sick with dread, the idea of walking home with the very person Haechan doesn’t want him to see sounds like a death wish.

He steps out of the house and heaves a sigh once the door is closed. Cum is drying in his pants and it scrapes against his skin uncomfortably. He still feels slightly too intoxicated to think clearly, but god, he can’t stop thinking about how he’s going to avoid Haechan. He runs his fingers over his neck. Surely there must be marks that he doesn’t know how to hide. 

There’s a deafening screech above Minhyung and his blood freezes in his veins. His head snaps up toward the trees and on the closest branch, a bird is perched, glaring down at him. It cries out one more time before taking flight and disappearing into the foliage. Minhyung wants to throw up. He sets off running home.

The entire way back, Minhyung’s heart is in his throat. He can feel beads of sweat dripping down his face, and his shirt is sticking to his underarms. He trips over a cart as an older woman crosses his path, pulling supplies for her shop. He feels where the skin on his knees has been torn, and he can feel the air rushing over his legs where his pants have ripped. He’s fairly sure one of his toenails has broken. But the shop is coming into view and Minhyung is desperately trying not to throw up. A bird soars over his head and he flinches.

He tears into the shop and looks around. It’s quiet, empty. He can hear his heart hammering as he calls out into the building, his ears straining to catch any sign of life. Kun’s head pops from behind the kitchen door, his eyebrows twisted in concern.

“Munu? I thought you were going to be gone all day, are you alright?”

“Where is Tiaoning?”

Kun frowns. “I-I don’t know. He might be in the garden, or upstairs in your room. I only just got here to grab some ingredients for my supper tonight and I haven’t gone to look for him yet.” He squints at Minhyung, his eyes combing over his neck and going wide. “Are those–”

Minhyung shakes his head and walks through the kitchen and toward the back door, ignoring Kun’s questions. There’s movement—a shoulder disappears from his line of sight and he throws the door open, nearly tripping again as he enters the garden.

“Tiaoning?” He calls. “I saw you, I know you’re out here.” He walks around the area, ignoring Genji’s insistent whines for attention. He huffs and hisses in Korean, “I know you sent Gu after me.”

Suddenly, there’s a hand on his shoulder and he yelps, jumping forward and turning to face Haechan with wide eyes. Panic rises in his throat again at the sight of him. He’s unreadable; a dirty face and messy hair and dark eyes. He stares at Minhyung, almost like he’s trying to understand who he’s looking at. His eyes flicker to his neck and Minhyung’s hand raises to it immediately. Haechan speaks.

“Why did you lie to me.”

It isn’t a question. It’s spoken like he already knows the answer, but he needs to hear it from Minhyung’s own lips. His tone is cold and commanding, so much so it makes him shiver.

“Haechan, I–”

“If you wanted to fuck Yongqin, you coulda just told me, Lee Minhyung,” he spits, stepping forward and jabbing a finger into Minhyung’s chest. “Don’t fucking lie to me about your dead mother’s birthday so you can go tug on a stranger’s cock without me knowing.”

Minhyung’s eyes begin to burn with unshed tears. “Haechan, I’m so sorry, please. I don’t know why I would lie about that. It was the first thing that came to mind. I just didn’t–”

“Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?!” Haechan shoves at his shoulder, cheeks pink with rage. Minhyung stumbles, eyes wide as his back hits the wall. “I sat in bed for nearly an hour thinkin’ about how hard you must be taking not bein’ in Korea for your mom’s birthday. I was so worried, in fact, I woke Gu up and sent him after you to make sure you were doin’ alright. I was considerate enough to not track you down myself and find you with your hands down Yongqin’s pants!”

Minhyung doesn’t know what to say. “Haechan, I’m sorry I lied to you. I swear to god, I’m so sorry.” Haechan’s face hardens. “He told me he just wanted to have lunch. I didn’t know it was going to end the way it did.”

“Oh, but you did, Lee Minhyung,” he seethes. “You _knew,_ and that’s why you lied. You knew I wouldn’t like it, so you spewed some garbage about your own _mother._ Imagine how she must feel knowin’ her own son lied about her so he could go and sleep with a man, of all things.”

The words make Minhyung freeze. “What the _fuck,_ Haechan.” For a moment, he goes blind with rage. “I’m trying to tell you I’m fucking sorry, and you’re telling me that my mother would hate me for being gay?” Haechan’s eyes shine with alarm. “I know she’s angry with me for lying, I can feel it in my chest with every goddamn breath I take. But you have the audacity to pretend you know what she’s thinking? You think she’d stop loving me for liking men?”

“Minhyung, that’s not what I meant.”

“No.” Minhyung punches at Haechan’s chest, hot tears spilling down his cheeks. He shoves him hard enough to make him fall back onto the ground. He steps over him and shoves at his shoulder again, pressing him into the grass. “That _is_ what you meant, so _fuck you,_ Haechan. I wished for a new start. I know I lied to you, and I do feel bad about doing it, but the decisions that I make are what come with a new fucking start. You don’t own me. I own you. If I want to go off and have a relationship with someone, that’s _my_ choice. Not yours. Stay the fuck away from me until you realise that _your_ actions come with consequences, even when your stupid fucking dad isn’t involved.”

Faintly, Minhyung can hear the back door open, so he straightens and wipes at his face, glaring down at Haechan. He looks up at him with something akin to fear.

“Munu? Tiaoning?” Kun calls. Minhyung steps back and Haechan stands up, brushing his clothes off before Kun comes around the corner. “I might make dinner here tonight, will you eat with me?”

Haechan’s eyes flicker to Minhyung. “I’m not hungry. I’m going to go for a walk.” He pushes between the two of them and leaves through the side gate, whistling for Genji. She perks up from where she’s laying in the shade and follows after him. Kun stares at Minhyung in silence for a moment, chewing on the inside of his cheek.

“Come inside, Munu. We need to talk.” He grabs onto his sleeve and guides him into the kitchen. “Sit down.”

Minhyung sits. Kun drags a chair to the other side of the table and takes a seat, folding his hands in front of him. Minhyung squirms as he watches him and looks down at his bleeding knees.

“Yongqin has told me that he thinks you’re very handsome.” Minhyung’s cheeks begin to burn. “He also told me that Tiaoning feels like a threat. He’s very protective of you.”

Minhyung doesn’t say anything. The thought of Haechan makes his hands shake again. But his mother’s face comes forward in his mind and his chest tightens. He squeezes his eyes shut and holds his breath.

“Are you and Tiaoning together?”

Minhyung’s head snaps up, eyes wide. “What? No! Why does everyone keep asking me that?”

“Munu, Tiaoning is in love with you.” Minhyung shakes his head and watches Kun’s eyes soften. “It’s clear that you lied to us about where you were going today, and it’s clear—to me and Yongqin, at least—that Tiaoning is attached to you the way a lover would be. I don’t know what you told him to make sure he didn’t come with you today, but that definitely isn’t what’s hurting him the most.”

“He isn’t in love with me,” Minhyung pants. His heart is fluttering in his chest. “He...he just can’t be.”

“I don’t know what happened in the garden, but the two of you hurt each other a lot. He didn’t just hurt you.” Kun leans forward. “I’m a little bit confused, myself. You’re in love with him, too. Why did you engage with Yongqin?”

“Because.” Minhyung can’t feel his fingers or his toes. “Because he’s not supposed to be in love with me, Kun Ge. This is supposed to be me moving on. He can’t be in love with me.”

_They tend to fall in love with their masters fairly easily. I never have._

“...Munu, can you hear me?” Minhyung’s head is swimming. The pit in his stomach has grown unbearably heavy and he looks at Kun through teary eyes. “Munu, go upstairs and lie down while I make dinner. You can use my room, just in case Tiaoning comes back.”

Minhyung can barely feel the drag of his feet against the floor as he stands and makes his way upstairs. He turns into Kun’s room, but not without casting a pitiful look toward the room he shares with Haechan. There’s a ring on the table he must have forgotten to hide when Kun came. 

His bedroom is warm, almost stuffy. It’s messier now than it had been when he and Haechan had come through it to get to the roof. There’s a shirt strewn across the floor and a shoe near the door, its twin closer to the mattress. Minhyung closes the door behind him and slides the table in front of it. He shudders at the thought of Haechan coming home and getting angry at the news that Minhyung is now sleeping in someone else’s bed. He settles into the mattress and pulls the blanket over himself. He doesn’t really know why he’s blocked the door, anyway. A genie would find a way inside.

_Tiaoning is in love with you._

Minhyung squeezes his eyes shut and swallows the lump in his throat. It’s so hot in the room and under the covers. He can feel sweat on the back of his neck and the backs of his knees, but he can’t stop shivering. Every muscle in his body is pulled taut, threatening to snap with even the slightest movement. Minhyung can’t breathe.

He thinks back to the walk the two of them took to that meadow with Genji. The eagerness in Haechan’s voice when he’d asked Minhyung if he was happy with his wish. How he talked about wanting to fall in love there. Minhyung wonders if that’s when Haechan realised. He thinks about how upset he’d seemed at the fact that Minhyung believed he would leave him in the end. God, he was so _difficult._ Why couldn’t he have been honest with him? Are Kun and Yongqin mistaken? He shakes his head. He doesn’t want to think about Yongqin right now. Why didn’t he just kiss Haechan when he was given all of those chances? There were so many.

Minhyung rolls over and pulls the blanket over his head. He can smell Kun cooking right below him, and if he listens very closely, he can hear him talking to himself. He gnaws on his lip, feeling guilty for pulling him into his and Haechan’s business. He should have known this taste of a new life was too good to be true.

Downstairs, the door to the shop slams so hard it causes the glass in the windowpane to rattle loudly. Minhyung freezes, his heart thumping uncontrollably as he listens for Haechan’s voice. But it doesn’t come. In fact, it becomes eerily quiet in the kitchen as well. But Minhyung knows he’s there, just feet below him. Maybe they’ve moved into the garden to talk.

A sudden wave of exhaustion rolls over him. His eyelids become heavy and he uncovers his head to breathe some fresh air, letting his eyes droop shut. He remembers this feeling; the first night he met Haechan he felt a similar kind of fatigue. He’d recognise the Jade Genie’s magic anywhere.

_“Minhyung?”_

_He feels warmth spread from his chest all the way to the tips of his toes. He opens his eyes and takes in the scene around him. He’s in the meadow. The one he and Haechan found together with Genji. But neither of them are anywhere to be found. That voice certainly didn’t belong to Haechan, either. He turns around, and his father stares back at him._

_“What…?” Minhyung chokes, his eyes bulging. “What are you doing here? How are you–”_

_“Minhyung, I can’t understand what you’re saying,” his father says, eyebrows knit in concern. “I need to tell you something, Minhyung. This isn’t a matter to be taken lightly.”_

_“I don’t get it, how can you not understand me?” He tugs on his hair in frustration. His tongue feels heavy when he speaks. He can feel himself slurring._

_“You’re in danger.” His father interrupts his thoughts, his face dark. “Why didn’t you listen to Bongho? He tried to warn you.”_

_“Bongho? What?”_

_“He told you that the Jade Genie was dangerous. Why did you not heed his warnings?”_

_Minhyung can no longer feel his heartbeat. “Am I dead? Abeoji, please tell me what’s going on. Why can’t you understand me? Why am I in danger?”_

_He can see the longing in his face. The pain and the fear in his eyes. “My son. My perfect boy. I love you so much. I’m sorry I can’t protect you. Please, stay away from Lee Donghyuck.”_

_“Lee Donghyuck? Who…” Minhyung gasps. “Is that Haechan’s real name? Please, answer me! Why am I in danger?”_

_He falls to his knees, crying loudly. His heartbeat has returned, but his surroundings are beginning to disappear. They’re falling away in his peripherals, like a painting that has been set on fire. His father is nowhere to be found. He retches and grasps at the dirt, clinging to the remnants of the meadow. There are daisy petals falling in front of him now, and when he raises his head, he sees himself sitting in the grass beside Haechan. The genie is pulling petals from the flower in his hand and dropping them onto the ground. The memory burns in Minhyung’s mind, but he sees himself reach over, press his hand to Haechan’s cheek, and kiss him. The sight knocks him back and he cries out again. He watches them twist and fall to the ground as they lose themselves in the kiss._

_“Please,” Minhyung sobs. “I need to get out of here, please.”_

_He makes eye contact with himself as he licks over Haechan’s lips. He stares through tear filled eyes and watches a hand stroke at the genie’s hair. Minhyung can’t look away when lips move to his ear. His blood goes cold._

_“I love you, Lee Donghyuck.”_

Minhyung wakes with a gasp. He sits up, blinking until his eyes adjust to the dark. He looks toward the door. The table has been pushed back and he trembles. He throws the covers off of himself and stands on wobbly legs, rushing out of the room. The kitchen is illuminated but the room he and Haechan share is still empty. He nearly trips down the stairs to see who’s home, and pauses upon seeing Haechan sitting at the table sipping a cup of tea.

“Lee Donghyuck.” Minhyung sees him jump and go tense at his words. “Your name is Lee Donghyuck, isn’t it?”

“How did you find that out?” Haechan’s eyes are wide with worry as they dart around the room. “And please, keep your voice down. Someone might hear.”

“No one is here, Donghyuck.” Minhyung sits down across from him and crosses his arms. “I know you put me to sleep. Did you make me have that dream, too? I thought telling me your name was punishable by death.”

“Lee Minhyung, keep it down!” He hisses. “Kun is outside talking to someone right now! And I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t put you to sleep or make you dream anythin’.”

“Yes you did,” Minhyung insists, scowling. “It felt exactly like it did the day we met when you made me fall asleep. There’s no way it couldn’t have been you.” Haechan goes pale. “What?”

“That wasn't me, Lee Minhyung.”

“Well who was it, then? And why did my father appear in my dream telling me that I was in danger and it’s your fault?” His scowl drops. “Was it the Jade Emperor?”

“I don’t know who else could have done it,” Haechan sighs and rakes his nails down his face. “Did he seriously tell you my name? Minhyung we _are_ in danger if that’s what really happened. He’s gonna get us killed.”

“That’s impossible.” Minhyung shakes his head. “We’re in disguise, no one suspects us here.”

“I don’t know, Lee Minhyung. Hasn’t it been awfully quiet up front while we’ve been speakin’ Korean?”

The door to the kitchen swings open and Kun walks in, his face pale. Behind him are three men that watch Haechan warily. Minhyung recognises them from the river and the shop and his mouth goes dry. _Chinese,_ he reminds himself. “Kun Ge? What are they doing here?”

“I told you, Qian Kun,” one of them hisses. “They were the two we met on the bridge.”

“The bridge? Oh.” Minhyung’s eyes go wide. Genji is barking outside now, surely having sensed the presence of the men that had attacked her. How hadn’t he remembered when he saw them at the shop just days ago? Or even by the river with Shuying? He looks over at Haechan. His face has hardened and he stares up at Kun with a set jaw. But Minhyung can tell he’s terrified. 

“Ge, what are you doing?” Haechan asks. “Surely you don’t believe these two strangers over us?”

“I’m so sorry.” Kun takes a shuddering breath. “They’d told me about you, but I didn’t believe them. I couldn’t. But then I heard you outside earlier. Lee Minhyung and Lee Donghyuck, arguing like lovers in my garden.”

There’s a sharp knock on the front door, but a group of officials charge inside without waiting for a response. They push through Kun and the three men and seize Haechan, twisting his arms behind his back. Minhyung leaps up from his seat, eyes darting between the officials and Kun.

“Why are you doing this?” He whispers. He backs into the corner of the kitchen and feels a hot tear slide down his cheek as the men from the bridge grab onto him. “Kun Ge, what have you done?!” He shouts. “We weren’t doing anything wrong!”

“Lee Minhyung, look at me.” Minhyung’s eyes fall on Haechan. He’s crying too, his face red and blotchy as he attempts to pull his arms free. “We’re gonna be okay. Trust me.”

Minhyung sobs loudly. “How do you know? You told me we were going to get killed!” One of the men twists his arm and he cries out, spitting in his face. “Fuck, let me go! Lee Donghyuck, help me, please!”

Haechan lets himself be dragged out of the shop as Minhyung continues to struggle. He can hear the three men shouting at each other in Chinese, but the translator in his head isn’t working anymore. He can only catch single words picked from the sentences they’re speaking. Genji is scratching at the back door now, her yelps slicing through the air.

“Lee Donghyuck!” Minhyung screams, feeling his throat strain. There’s a sudden blow to the back of his head and he drops to his knees, his vision swimming. He tries to scream again, but an elbow connects to his temple and he crumples. He can’t see anymore. He closes his eyes as a hand wraps around his neck and squeezes. Kun is yelling now—he thinks he can hear his own name in his frantic shouts. It sounds almost like he’s begging them not to hurt him, but Minhyung no longer understands.


	6. RIGOR SAMSA

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You told me we were going to be okay. You told me that more than once."  
> "You wouldn't have listened to me if I'd told you the truth."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIGOR SAMSA  
> (n.)  
> a kind of exoskelton that can protect you from pain and your anxieties, but always ends up cracking under pressure.
> 
> VERY IMPORTANT QUICK WARNING  
> this chapter is not light. there is violence, there are forms of police brutality, there are characters that make unwanted sexual advances, and there is death. please do not read this if any of these things trigger you.
> 
> this is technically the last chapter, though. chapter seven will be more of an epilogue than anything. and once again,,check out my [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/17R4TqySz4Bg3GHTwMdpv0?si=YYjkwwKCS4id1TNw4usIag) for the story! listening to fine line by harry styles on repeat is recommended <3

Minhyung’s head is pounding when he finally opens his eyes. He quickly becomes aware of the cold stone against his back and blinks to adjust to the dimness of the room he’s in. Somewhere near him, a guzheng is being played. His eyes fall shut again and he rubs his knuckles into them, yawning. White flashes behind his eyelids and he cries out softly. He desperately needs something for his head.

“Lee Minhyung.”

He shoots up, gasping. A gate opens in his mind and memories of the night before flow freely. Kun, the guards taking Haechan away, the three men beating him into unconsciousness. His heart picks up speed and begins to hammer against his ribcage. The person on the other side of the door continues speaking, but he can hardly understand what they’re saying. There’s creaking, and suddenly a streak of light is shining straight into Minhyung’s eyes. He flinches and squints up toward the door.

“Who are you?” He asks, grabbing at the wall as he stands. A spot on his temple throbs and his knees nearly buckle “Where am I?”

“I’m here to take you to General Feng. Please come to the door with your arms straight in front of you.”

“Where am I?” Minhyung asks again.

The man outside simply closes the slot in the door without saying anything so he gives up, stumbling across the room with his arms stretched out. He hears the clanging of a heavy lock when he stops in front of the door and suddenly he’s being blinded by the light of a bright hallway. Hands grab at his wrists as he blinks rapidly to adjust his eyes and when he finally is able to see, there are chains weighing him down. They’re rusting and cutting into his skin already, far too small even for how thin his wrists are. The man in front of him is dressed in elaborate armour, metal plates protecting him from his shoulders to his knees. It looks like it’s made of gold, reflecting every light in the hall. There’s a smiling sun engraved on his chest plate and vines shoot from it like rays, with single jasmine flowers carved into the ends. It reminds him of Haechan. The guard watches Minhyung with suspicious eyes and readjusts his helmet before taking his arm and leading him down the hall.

“I’ll be searching you before you see the general,” the man begins. “Just to be sure you haven’t created any weapons in your cell.”

“I was beat unconscious until just a minute ago,” Minhyung spits. “How am I meant to create weapons with a concussion in a cell where I can barely see?”

The guard yanks on his arm, a warning to not give any more attitude. Minhyung eyes the blade at his hip and grinds his teeth, looking ahead. They come to a halt in front of two large doors and the man pats him down twice before opening a door and shoving Minhyung inside. With his hands chained in front of him, he’s unable to catch himself when he stumbles, crying out when his elbows hit the floor with a crack.

“Ah, Lee Minhyung. I see you’re already on your knees for me.” He cranes his neck just in time to see a pair of feet stop in front of him. A hand lands on his shoulder and shoves him up to sit on his feet. The man in front of him offers a crooked smile. “Nice to finally meet you. I’m General Feng Tianwei.”

Minhyung says nothing, glaring at the face above him. His facial hair is wiry and patchy, sticking out in awkward places along his chin and neck. His teeth, however, are unnaturally straight and white, and they disappear behind chapped lips when he begins to scowl.

“Is that any way to look at someone when they’ve got you in chains?” He crouches down and tips Minhyung’s chin up with two fingers. “Remember what I have against you right now.”

Minhyung’s eyebrows draw together. “I’ve already lost everything, what could you possibly have against me?”

Feng stands again, turning away from Minhyung as he speaks. “You’re in a lot of trouble here in Zhenxing, Mr. Lee. A Korean boy sneaking across the river under an alias, harbouring one of the most dangerous weapons in the world.” He turns back, face twisted. “The Jade Genie was stolen from us in the war, did you know?”

“That isn’t true.” Minhyung can’t stop himself from laughing. “He was created for Korea. His name is Korean. All of his previous–”

“Shut up!” Feng roars, kicking his foot out and knocking Minhyung onto his back. “You know  _ nothing _ about what that thing was used for. It took our victory from us. We could have won the war with the genie under our control.”

“He has a name, you know,” Minhyung mutters, wriggling as he tries to sit back up. “And you’re still wrong! He was stuck in the river before the war ever ended! All he did while he was serving his masters was try and be set free!”

The slap he receives echos off the walls and sends him falling onto his side. His head smacks against the stone floor and black spots swim in his vision as he groans. Feng stands over him, his feet on either side of Minhyung, and spits on his face. He crouches and yanks his head up by his hair.

“I would avoid talking to me like that if I were you.”

“Why?” Minhyung grits. “What are you going to do? Hit me again?”

Feng laughs darkly and shoves his head back into the ground. “Oh no, Minhyung. I can do so much worse.” He brings a finger to his lips. “Listen closely... do you hear that?”

Minhyung strains his ears, frowning. It’s quiet for a moment, but a wail sounds from a room nearby, and his eyes blow wide. His legs kick out and he squeezes his eyes shut as he writhes, trying to stand.

“What the fuck are you doing to him?!” He shouts, crawling in the direction of the sound. “Haechan! Lee Donghyuck, I’m right here!” There’s another wail and Minhyung begins to cry. “Stop hurting him!” He screams. “Please, make them stop!”

The general hums, twirling the hair of his moustache. “What do I get in return if I do?”

“Anything!” Minhyung is frantic. “Please, I’ll do anything!”

“Anything, you say? Well, I certainly can’t refuse such a wonderful offer, can I? Bring the genie out!”

The room becomes silent, and when a door finally opens Minhyung holds his breath, preparing for the worst. The rattling of chains rings in his ears and when a pair of guards finally drag Haechan in by his arms. Trembling hands clamp over his mouth in an attempt to muffle a sob when Haechan’s body is dumped on the floor in front of him.

“Haechan? Dear god, please answer me. Haechan!” Minhyung rolls him over and gasps violently at the state of him. One of his eyes is swollen shut and his nose is broken. His lips are busted and bleeding down his chin, but he smiles up at Minhyung like nothing is wrong, chained hands reaching to grab his own.

“Ah, Lee Minhyung. They’re not hurtin’ you too bad, eh? I’m glad.”

“Donghyuck,” he whispers, pulling his hands away from the genie’s to cup his face. He hisses at the contact and Minhyung jerks away. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, this is all my fault.”

Haechan shakes his head and kisses the palms of Minhyung’s hands. “Not at all. You couldn’t’ve anticipated this.”

“Ah, the reunion of lovers. Isn’t it sweet?” Feng claps his hands together, sighing blissfully. “Now, Minhyung, I believe you promised me you’d do  _ anything  _ to get us to stop hurting him?”

Haechan tenses under him. “Yes, I did.”

“Lee Minhyung, what have you done?”

The general grins madly. “Use your third wish, then. Give the genie up.”

Minhyung’s face crumbles. “What?”

“You heard what I said,” he seethes, stalking the two like a bird circling its prey. “Unless, you’d like the guards to continue where they left off?”

“No!” He pulls Haechan’s head into his lap, glaring. “I’ll do it.”

“Lee Minhyung!”

“Donghyuck, shut up,” Minhyung hisses. “This is the only way to keep them from hurting you. You know you could have used magic to escape, but you didn’t. You’re punishing yourself, and you don’t deserve it.” He leans forward and presses his lips to the genie’s forehead, lingering. “I’m so sorry.”

“We do not have all day,” Feng thunders. “If you keep stalling, I’ll handle the genie myself.”

Minhyung squeezes his eyes shut and takes a deep breath. He briefly considers setting Haechan free now, but he thinks of the men just outside of the room, their hands resting on the blades at their hips. He wishes he could find a way out, for both of them. He opens his eyes and frowns down at the genie. “I wish for you to stay safe forever. To never get hurt again.”

Something flashes in Haechan’s eyes momentarily, a split second of contempt. A question of,  _ why didn’t you save yourself?  _ But he resigns with a sigh, his hands coming up to squeeze gently at Minhyung’s fingers.

“Your wish is my command, Lee Minhyung.”

He begins to transform then, and it’s disturbing to watch. Minhyung stares as his nose begins to reset, the blood drying and eventually sinking back into his skin. His lips close and shrink down to their normal size. His swollen eye opens and it’s bloody for a moment, but it quickly returns to its original state, golden and swirling with flecks of green. They no longer have the playful glint that they once did.

There’s a flash of light and suddenly Gu is floating around Haechan’s head, returned to his original form. The last bit of Minhyung breaks when Haechan sits up and blinks slowly at him, as if he’s forgotten who he is. 

A laugh sounds from behind him and he jumps, watching Feng pull Haechan to his feet through tear-filled eyes. “Lovely! You, Minhyung, will be going back to your cell until I figure out what to do with you. Perhaps a hanging? I have always loved watching them squirm as they suffocate.”

Minhyung’s heart begins to flutter and he looks between Haechan and the general. “Why are you doing this? We were never doing anything wrong.”

“You won the war unfairly, Minhyung.” Feng’s hand wraps around his throat and squeezes. Minhyung slaps at his arm, wheezing, and Haechan watches on with empty eyes. “We lost thousands of men because you cheated on the battlefield. The Jade Genie has become my form of revenge. Your country doesn’t know half the devastation that we do, so I will show you a hundred times more.” He shoves Minhyung into the ground and turns to leave. “Guards, take him back to his cell. We’ll plan the execution for tomorrow evening.”

A pair of guards enter the room and pull Minhyung up, dragging him into the hall by his elbows. Haechan stares straight through him, Gu glowing dimly over his shoulder. Feng turns the genie and leads him into a different room. Minhyung is going completely numb. He can no longer feel the ache in his chest, and he doesn’t feel his skull knock against the stone when the guards throw him onto the floor of his cell. He rolls onto his back and stares up at the ceiling as he tries to remember how to swallow. His throat must be the size of a pin.

He’s going to die tomorrow. Haechan is gone, and there’s no one to pull him out of the grave he’s dug himself. He’s spent a week running from every single mess he’s made, only to find himself unable to escape when it matters the most. Every decision Minhyung has made has led him to this. He closes his eyes. He’d prayed every single night before falling asleep that he wouldn’t wake up in the morning. What changed?

Haechan has ruined Minhyung in every way possible. He turned his life upside down and destroyed every physical memory of his childhood and his family. He took him to China where he’d meet a new family and feel safe, only to have it ripped away in an instant because of an argument they couldn’t keep secret.

But despite how much Minhyung wants to feel resentment toward Haechan, he can’t feel anything but love. He’s still a stranger; he still has so many secrets he will never tell Minhyung. He is going to watch the general kill him with no objections. But Minhyung loves him. He loves him because he glows in the light of the sun and radiates impossible warmth, no matter how cold the world feels. He loves him because he laughed at what Minhyung said and smiled his way and he held his hand for absolutely no reason at all. He loves him for all of his favours, all of the words he spoke to remind Minhyung that he cared—even if it was to manipulate him. Because Lee Donghyuck made Minhyung feel wanted and needed and desirable. Even if it was for selfish reasons, he loved him, too.

He pushes himself up from the floor and crawls to the wall of his cell, finally feeling a twinge of pain in his head as he settles back down. His eyes have finally adjusted to the room and he looks around, taking note of the lump of straw for a makeshift bed in the opposite corner. There are voices outside of his cell speaking in hushed tones and Minhyung swears he hears his name, but he can’t find it within himself to eavesdrop. He’s going to die tomorrow, and he’s never felt so tired.

He manages to make the couple of feet to the straw bed and collapse on top of it. It smells like urine and death, but he hides his face in it anyway. letting his eyes fall shut. Haechan’s face doesn’t leave his mind.

_ He dreams that there are hands on him. They drag from his shoulders and squeeze at his hips before stopping at his ankles. They push against him until his legs are bent over his stomach, straining uncomfortably. He can’t see anything, and he isn’t sure if his eyes are closed or if it’s too dark where he is. Someone is leaning over him, breathing into his ear. The hands on his ankles are hot, and his skin burns under their touch. They smell like oranges and honey. _

_ “Lee Minhyung.” He feels himself shiver.  _

_ “Donghyuck...Donghyuck, where are we? What are you doing here?” _

_ Instead of answering, Haechan kisses him, pressing into his mouth so tightly it almost hurts. But it opens up airways in Minhyung’s lungs that he didn’t know were closed, and he uses all his strength to kiss him back. The grip on his ankles leaves and he wraps his legs around Haechan’s waist, feeling tears burn at the corners of his eyes when hands press to Minhyung’s face so gently, seemingly afraid to break him. Minhyung loves him, and it hurts. He doesn’t want to be asleep anymore.  _

_ “Haechan, please.” He pushes him away. “Is this some sort of sick joke?” _

_ “Don’t say that,” he laughs, kissing Minhyung again. “I’m gettin’ you outta here.” _

_ Minhyung feels his lungs close up again. “Don’t say that. Don’t say that, Haechan. I’ve given you up to the general, you won’t do anything for me unless it benefits him.” He wants to cry so badly he can hardly draw in a breath. He sucks the smallest bit of air into his lungs through tight lips and his voice trembles when he says, “It’s okay, though. Really. I should have known something like this would happen. It was never meant to be.” _

_ “What’s that have to do with anythin’?” Haechan asks, laughing again. Minhyung knows that if he could see his face, he would look afraid. _

_ “I should thank you for showing me how beautiful life can be. But I’ve never really been afraid to die, even now.” He tries desperately to keep his voice steady, but it cracks and fizzles into a whisper with the last two words. _

_ “Say my name, Lee Minhyung.” _

_ “What?” His eyebrows furrow in some combination of confusion and frustration. “Now isn’t the time for one of your stupid games–” _

_ “Just do it, Minhyung.” _

_ “Haechan–” _

_ “No, say my  _ name.  _ My real name.” _

_ Minhyung sighs. He can feel the genie’s eyes boring into him so he surrenders. “Lee Donghyuck.” _

_ Lips press against his again, knocking the breath from his lungs. There’s warmth in the kiss, a sort of excitement he can’t entirely understand. Haechan pulls back, kisses him again. “Perfect. Now say it again. Don’t ever stop.” _

_ He begins to cry, his chest squeezing tightly. “Lee Donghyuck. Lee Donghyuck, I love you.” _

_ “And I you, Lee Minhyung.” Another bruising kiss, and Minhyung’s chest bursts. “Keep sayin’ it. Don’t stop until you wake up.” _

_ “I don’t want to wake up, Lee Donghyuck!” He sobs, tightening his legs on his waist when he begins to move away. “Please, please, don’t make me wake up.” _

_ “We’re gonna be okay, trust me.” _

It knocks against Minhyung like a tonne of bricks. The last words Haechan had spoken to him in The Burning Hill, whispered in his ear and he loses all of his strength. His legs fall limp and the warmth of Haechan’s body disappears without a trace, leaving him shivering and afraid. He rolls onto his side and curls into himself, muffling his cries with his hands. His broken mantra of Lee Donghyuck continues, choked and anguished.

He wakes with a gasp, his skin slick with sweat and his clothes sticking to his body. He hisses when he lifts his hands to push back his hair and the chains cut into his wrists. He’s crying, choking on his spit when a sob wracks his body and sends him falling back into the straw. He misses Genji, the garden, his bed with Haechan. He misses Kun, and feels his heart ache at the thought of him. He wonders if he’s told Yongqin that Minhyung was a liar. 

The lock clanks loudly, startling him, and the door swings open. Someone walks inside and the light from the hall disappears when they’re left alone. Minhyung feels his entire body go tight as he stares across the cell.

“The Jade Emperor made me have another dream,” he begins. Haechan doesn’t say anything, standing still as Minhyung trembles on the floor. “Instead of my father, it was you. You kissed me and told me we were going to be alright.” He laughs bitterly. “It’s funny, isn’t it? First, he tells me that you’ve put me in danger, but now you’re the one who’s going to save me.”

The genie remains silent, watching Minhyung with something akin to boredom on his face. It hurts to see him look at him like that. It hurts so bad that it makes Minhyung angry. He pulls himself up and stalks toward him, scowling.

“What are you doing here? Have you come to laugh at me? To mock me for falling in love with you?” There’s no response. “Say something, Donghyuck.”

Something flashes in his eyes this time. It sends a surge of electricity through Minhyung’s veins. “Do you like when I call you by your name, Donghyuck? You liked it in the dream, too.”

But Haechan has already become unresponsive. He stares right through Minhyung and he begins to shake. He shoves at his shoulders, a fresh wave of tears falling onto his cheeks. “Say something, Donghyuck! Why aren’t you saying anything? I don’t want you here!”

“Lee Minhyung.”

“I should have drowned myself instead of pulling you out of that river,” Minhyung spits, shoving him again. “I should have fucking drowned myself.” The door to his cell opens again and Haechan turns to leave, not sparing Minhyung another glance. He feels himself break. “Don’t you fucking come back here, Lee Donghyuck!” He feels his throat strain as he screams. The door slams. “And tell your father to stay out of my head!”

A guard bangs on the door, growling at him to stay quiet, and Minhyung sinks to his knees, wailing loudly. He feels close to death. It isn’t how he’d wanted his last conversation with Haechan to go, not at all. His limbs feel like they’re made of lead and he can’t carry himself back to the bed, so he lies on his back in the middle of the cell, crying up at the ceiling. He claws at his chest and closes his eyes. His heartbeat can be felt in his stomach and he slides on hand down, feeling the dull  _ thump, thump, thump,  _ just above his belly button. Minhyung wants to be numb again.

It feels like seconds pass before he’s woken again by the clanging of his cell door. Light floods the room and he attempts to sit up as a young woman enters, carrying a tray. She kneels in front of him and lifts a key from the tray to free his wrists. Minhyung watches her pick up a wooden mug and push it into his hands, and he struggles to focus on her in the dark. There’s something familiar about her. The faint scent of camellias reminds him of Kun’s garden and he feels himself tense.

“Shuying?” The girl in front of him tenses. “Shuying, it’s me, Munu.”

“I know who you are,” she whispers frantically. “Kun visited me and my father as soon as the two of you had been taken away. He was hysterical, I’ve never seen him like it before.”

Minhyung feels like he’s never going to stop crying. “Shuying, I’m so sorry–”

“You never did anything wrong,” she interrupts, her hands coming to rest on his knees. “I’m having a very hard time forgiving Kun for this, but he was terrified. Seeing how much he regrets betraying you means at least something.” Her grip on him tightens. “Please, Munu.  _ Get out of here. _ No one actually cares about Korean refugees in China. Only those with money and a hunger for power. You and Tiaoning do not deserve to die.”

“I lost Tiaoning.” Minhyung trembles, and water spills over the rim of the mug. “The general forced me to give him up, and he’s going to kill me tomorrow.”

Shuying gasps quietly and she moves away. Minhyung can see the whites of her eyes flash. “Oh, Munu…”

“Hey, no dawdling.” The two of them jump when a guard speaks up, sticking his head into the cell. “Give him his food and get out.”

Shuying stands and grabs at one of his hands, squeezing it tightly. “I will pray for you, Liu Munu.” She swipes her thumb across his knuckles, a final offer of comfort before she leaves. Minhyung swallows a cry.

The door shuts heavily behind her and Minhyung stares between the mug in his hands and the food on the tray. It’s stale bread and undercooked porridge and by the time he’s finished eating, his tongue is dry and scratchy against the roof of his mouth. He chugs what’s left of his water and tosses the mug across the cell. He massages his wrists as he walks to the straw heap that is his bed and collapses onto it. He can taste the dirt and piss on it when he breathes in through his mouth, but he suppresses a gag and closes his eyes. There are so many thoughts circling his mind and he knows he won’t be able to sleep any more than he already has, but the reprieve on his heavy eyelids is still nice. 

He wonders what Haechan is doing now. If he’s seducing General Feng now, worming his way into his heart like he did to Minhyung, working to escape. He wonders if he’s going to whisper his name into the general’s ear and dance with death to get what he wants. Minhyung’s chest aches.

A loud crash outside of the cell startles him out of his thoughts and he sits up, squinting across the room. People are yelling now, so Minhyung scrambles up from the bed and presses his ear against the door, heart pounding. He can hear his name being tossed around, but he feels himself tense when he hears Haechan’s name. He strains to catch anything else about what’s happened, but the sudden unlocking of the door sends him falling backward and onto his elbows. General Feng stands in the doorway, breathing heavily and pressing a hand into his side. He’s bleeding.

“Bring him to my room.” He disappears and then there are hands pulling Minhyung up from the floor and out of the cell.

“What’s going on?” He attempts to ask, but the guards say nothing before they throw him into a room and shut the door behind him. He groans at the impact on his knees and looks around. They hadn’t even bothered to put him in chains. He observes the rumpled sheets of the bed in front of him and the clothes scattered on the ground. There’s blood on the bed frame.

The door opens again and someone steps inside, remaining quiet. Minhyung doesn’t bother to turn around. General Feng marches around him and takes a seat on the bed, his face contorted in pain. His hand is stained red. 

“What have you done to the Jade Genie?”

Minhyung’s eyes go wide. “What?” He feels his stomach twist. “Did he escape? Is he the one who–”

“ _ No, _ he did not escape,” Feng growls. “He isn’t following my orders! My first wish has completely failed on me and now,” he pulls up his shirt, revealing the gash in his waist, “I’ve got a hole in my side! So, I will ask you again. What did you do to him?”

Minhyung feels hot. He looks between the general’s face and the wound with wide eyes. “I don’t know what I could have done! He always told me he rarely followed orders…”

Feng says nothing for a moment, and lies back on the bed, hissing. “Come here. I want you to fix me up while we talk.”

He squirms. “Um, I’ve never–”

“It wasn’t a question,” Feng grits, craning his neck to glare at Minhyung. “It was an order. Come here.”

Slowly, Minhyung stands and makes his way to the bed, keeping his eyes on his feet. They eventually disappear under the frame and he’s forced to look at the general, who swallows and points behind him.

“There’s already suture tools on the table behind you. Get to work.” Minhyung follows the directions, picking up the needle and thread with shaking hands. “So, tell me how you managed to get the Jade Genie to obey you.”

“My first wish didn’t turn out as well as I was promised,” he begins. He licks the thread and pulls it through the needle head, eyeing the wound warily. “I ended up losing my home because it backfired.”

“I didn’t ask for a story,” Feng grunts, his eyes squeezing shut as Minhyung pushes the needle through his skin. “How did he come to obey you?”

“I was simply as clear with what I wanted as I could be,” he tries. “Did you not think your first wish through?”

Feng reaches up and smacks Minhyung across the face. “Don’t give me that attitude, you filthy boy. Do you think I’m stupid? I was perfectly clear with what I wanted.”

Minhyung clenches his jaw and drives the needle through his skin with a little more force. “I don’t know what you’re doing wrong, then,” he grits. “He obeyed me just fine. Maybe it’s you?”

“Why, you little–” The general reaches for the vase on the table and shatters it against Minhyung’s head. He cries out and loses his vision for several seconds, his head dropping onto the bed. Feng shouts when the needle stabs into him, pulling it out and throwing it on the ground. Minhyung gasps into the sheets for a moment before the general yanks him up by his hair.

“You think I have no idea what kinds of stunts you pulled on that  _ thing  _ to get what you wanted? I tried whoring myself out to him as well, hoping it could get me somewhere, but all it gave me was this goddamn hole in my side! Clearly, fucking him isn’t what wrapped him around your finger.”

“I never fucked him.” Minhyung spits a mouthful of blood onto the bed and glares down at the man. “I have nothing to offer you. I didn’t do anything to him.”

“Where is that lamp of his, then?” Feng presses, bringing their faces closer. “Isn’t a genie meant to come with his lamp?”

The lamp. Minhyung’s eyes go wide for a second. He hasn’t seen it since that night on the bridge. Where was it, really?

“I… I don’t know,” he whispers. “It was stolen from us nearly two weeks ago. I haven’t seen it since.”

Feng curses and shoves Minhyung to the ground, standing from the bed. He winces, a hand coming up to his side. “I’m going to take the Jade Genie to the capital,” he mutters, leaning against the wall as he makes his way toward the door. “Perhaps the emperor will know what to do with him. I’ll postpone your execution for when we return.”

Minhyung swallows a cry of relief. “You’re postoning my execution?”

Feng chuckles, turns and steps back to the bed. “Of course. I wouldn’t want to miss watching the life leave those pretty eyes of yours. I think the genie would enjoy it, too.” His eyes follow his finger as he traces Minhyung’s lips. “But maybe I’ll keep you alive. You could make such a nice mistress. The Jade Genie and his harlot.”

Minhyung spits in his face. “In your fucking dreams,” he bristles. “I want to go back to my cell.”

Feng closes his eyes and sighs heavily as he wipes his face. “You know, Lee Minhyung, I pride myself in being a very patient man. But you have been wearing me thin these past few hours. Do you know how difficult that is to do?”

“I want to go back to my cell.”

“You will get to go back, don’t speak out of place,” he barks. “Your attitude is a force to be reckoned with, isn’t it? You’re lucky I’m having mercy on you, and you’re very lucky I brought you in here for nothing but to fix my wounds. You couldn’t even do that properly, though, how am I meant to believe that you would make a good bedmate?” He watches for a reaction but gets nothing. “Get out of my sight. Guards! Lock him back up.”

The door opens and Minhyung is pulled from the bed, his arms bending awkwardly behind his back. Feng watches him leave with a filthy smile and Minhyung has half a mind to spit on him one more time, but his head is pounding and he can feel blood dripping down his temple. He feels tired again, and the sight of the straw bed in the corner of his cell makes his heart sing. 

“Not so fast,” one of the guards speaks up, tightening his grip on Minhyung when he tries to walk inside. “The general told us to lock you up. We heard you were disrespectful.”

He rolls his head back. “Do what you must, please. I’m very tired.”

The men guide him into the cell but instead of steering him towards the bed, they take him to the opposite wall and push him down. Minhyung looks up at them with furrowed eyebrows and opens his mouth to question them, only to be silenced by the rattling of chains above him.

“Are you chaining me to the wall?” His heart flutters in his chest and he feels his mouth go dry. “I’ll apologise to the general for being rude, please don’t do this. Let me lay in the bed, I’m sorry.”

A guard tightens the chains now locked around his wrists until Minhyung cries out, his body twisting up from the floor in an animalistic attempt to escape. “You’re lucky enough he isn’t killing you tonight,” he says gruffly. “And you still get your meals.”

“What if I need to use the bathroom?” He gasps, feeling tears burn behind his eyes.

His pants are shoved down to his ankles and he shrieks, pressing his thighs together and choking violently on his tears. The guards laugh and flick at him, covering his mouth when he tries to scream.

“Try not to piss on your pants,” one of them whispers into Minhyung’s ear, his breath hot and wet against his skin. 

They leave him without another word and slam the door shut, enveloping Minhyung in darkness. His legs sting from where their fingers squeezed at him and he can hear them laughing amongst themselves as they move farther from the cell. His wrists are now chafed and raw and he can feel the blood draining from his arms with every second they’re raised above his head. He squirms, trying to slide up the wall to stand, but it puts an uncomfortable strain on his shoulders. He huffs and falls back, knocking his head against the wall as he tries to calm himself down. His head is throbbing gently, and if he sucks on his teeth he can taste blood very faintly. He’s still so tired. 

A group of people pass by his cell, and as if a string is connecting their hearts, Minhyung senses Haechan. He can hear General Feng talking to him, but the genie offers no response. He feels his chest tighten. He hadn’t expected them to leave for the capital so quickly. He swallows the lump in his throat and stares ahead as he waits for his eyes to adjust to the dark. He wishes Haechan could make him fall asleep.

As he waits for sleep to overtake him, he thinks about Kun. He wonders if he’s overwhelmed without him and Haechan helping with deliveries, or if he’s managing just fine. He recalls what Shuying had told him and it occurs to him that Kun may have just closed the shop. Minhyung feels his bottom lip quiver so he closes his eyes and tries to think of something else. But everything else makes him ache more, because he’s lost it all. All he has left are memories that squeeze at his lungs until he can’t breathe.

He falls asleep with numb arms and blood drying on his jaw. He doesn’t dream. It’s dark and lonely behind his eyelids and every part of his mind is just as vacant. He wakes halfway through the night, briefly, and thinks he sees Haechan sitting in front of him. But when he wakes again in the morning, he’s just as alone as he had been when he’d fallen asleep.

His shoulders are sore and his head hurts, but he can’t do anything but squeeze his eyes shut and flex his fingers. The sudden burn in his hands makes him gasp, though, and he attempts to move away from the wall on instinct, nearly dislocating his shoulder. It feels as though hot coal has been dropped into the palms of his hands and he whimpers, biting his lip to keep from making a louder noise. His heart pounds in his chest; he recognises this feeling. He lets out a sob of relief when the pain ceases and the weight of silver and jade replaces it.

He sucks a shuddering breath through his teeth and cranes his neck to look at the lamp. It’s reflecting a light he can’t see and the details carved into the jade swirl ominously, urging Minhyung to do something. With much effort, he manages to shift it and swipe his thumb across Haechan’s name.

_ Lee Donghyuck. _

“Haechan,” he whispers. “Lee Donghyuck, come back to me.”

The tug on his chest is painful, and he drops the lamp, squeezing his eyes shut and crying out as his back arches forward. He bites his tongue and stops breathing, listening for anyone coming to check on him. Instead, the chains on his wrists fall open and there are lips pressed against his ear.

“Lee Minhyung.”

He jerks so violently he kicks the person speaking to him. They grunt and Minhyung shoots up, beginning to cry. He stares at the body hunched over and clutching at their stomach, eyes glassy and wide.

“Lee Donghyuck,” he wails. “What the hell is going on?”

But just like the first dream he’d had in the cell, instead of answering, Haechan kisses him. Minhyung can’t breathe. He drags his nails down his chest, crawling into his lap and crying into his mouth. Haechan’s fingers curl around his neck and twine into his hair and he shivers, trying desperately to bring air into his lungs. They’re touching everywhere, but it isn’t enough for Minhyung as he continues to scratch at his skin. He wishes he could claw his way into his chest and burrow himself inside.

Haechan leans forward until Minhyung’s back touches the stone floor and pulls away, panting into his mouth. Minhyung hiccups, still crying, and tries to pull him close again, but Haechan shakes his head and sits back on his feet.

“What is happening?” Minhyung asks again, his fingers curling around Haechan’s tattooed wrists. “The lamp, I used my last wish. How did–”

Haechan shuts him up with another kiss and Minhyung’s skin burns. “I was really pissed off when ya thought that dream wasn’t from me,” he mumbles. “I was tryin’ to let you know I was still yours.”

“What?”

“D’you remember when I said you needed to kiss me in order to seal your wishes and have ‘em count?” Minhyung presses his head further into the stone, eyes wide. “I wasn’t trying to trick you, y’know.”

Minhyung’s head is beginning to hurt more. “Why...why didn’t you just tell me when you last came to the cell? You have no issue getting me to stop talking most of the time.”

Haechan laughs, dropping his head into Minhyung’s neck. He kisses the skin there, smiling when he shivers. “I was really scared, Lee Minhyung. You scare me sometimes.”

“Does Feng…?”

“Of course he doesn’t know. Whatever you said to him made him so angry, he didn’t wanna look at me. Made me walk in chains while guards carried his palanquin. I don’t think he’s gonna notice I’m gone for a while.”

“Haechan,” Minhyung breathes, wrapping his legs around the genie’s middle. “What are you really doing here?”

“I told you in that dream, we’re gettin’ outta here,” he whispers, his lips brushing against his cheek. His hips dip and Minhyung gasps, his head falling back. “Do you believe me yet? I’m all yours.”

He feels himself go pink. His heart is pounding and his mind is hazy. There’s something about this that feels...wrong. There’s still dread swirling in the pit of his stomach, mixing with arousal as Haechan’s teeth drag against his neck, biting softly. Minhyung can feel the fear in the genie’s muscles though, no matter how hard he may be trying to hide it. He feels just as scared as he’d looked at The Burning Hill. 

“I promise, we’re gonna get out.”

“I still haven’t heard you say how that’s going to happen.” He pushes at his chest, looking Haechan in the eye. “They’re going to kill both of us if we’re caught, you know. Feng is already planning my execution as it is.”

“Is there a reason your pants are at your ankles?” The genie asks, tracing a finger over his skin. Minhyung’s thighs quiver. “No one did anything to you, did they?”

He shakes his head, watching his hands slide up and down his legs, moving closer to the bulge under his shirt with each stroke. “No. No one has touched me.”

The movements stop and Haechan looks up at him, a frown on his face. “Yongqin has touched you here, though. Hasn’t he?” He fists his cock and Minhyung’s throat closes up as he gasps. He slams his head into the stone. “I don’t want him to touch you like this anymore.”

“Y-yes,” he breathes, his fingers coming to squeeze at his shoulders. Haechan bites at his jaw, the movement of his hand not letting up. “God— _ fuck _ .”

“I’m gonna get us out of here,” the genie pants. “I’ll make the world forget who we are. Mine and yours.”

Minhyung shudders, gasping at the ceiling before Haechan kisses him hard enough to bruise. He bites at his lips, whining into his mouth and then he comes with a jerk, his vision going black. His skin thrums as Haechan licks into his mouth, pulling his hand away when Minhyung begins to twitch from overstimulation.

“Let me…” He begins, but the genie shakes his head and pulls away.

“You can pay me back later, when we’re not in a prison cell.” He licks his hand clean and Minhyung feels himself grow hot again. He pushes him onto his back and crawls between his legs. “Woah, woah, what’re you doin’?”

“I’m paying you back.” He pulls his pants down and breathes over the head of his cock. Haechan shivers.

“Lee Minhyung, don’t. You have no idea— _ ah _ !” Minhyung swallows him down and tears spring into his eyes immediately as his throat constricts. “Lee…Minhyung…” he pants, his fingers twisting into his hair and pulling. Minhyung moans and Haechan croaks, going limp. 

Minhyung doesn’t know what he’s doing and he can hardly breathe, but he’s getting hard again, so he presses a hand into himself and whines, swallowing around Haechan and gagging when his hips buck. The genie is hiccupping, kicking his legs out and tightening his grip in Minhyung’s hair. 

“Minhyung,” he gasps. “I’m gonna–” He comes, not giving Minhyung a chance to pull away as his thighs shake. Minhyung chokes, his eyes rolling back when he releases for a second time, dripping onto the floor.

He pulls off, tears and spit and cum soaking his cheeks and chin as he coughs. Haechan regains control of his muscles and shoots up, cupping his face and kissing him. His tongue is salty, but the genie pays no mind as he licks into his mouth, breathing heavily.

“I told you to wait, Lee Minhyung,” he says, wiping at his chin with his thumb. Minhyung sucks the digit into his mouth and licks it clean. “You’re filthy.”

“You told me we were going to get out of here,” he rasps. “Where are we going?”

“We have anywhere in the world, it’s up to you.”

Minhyung can’t help from pushing himself up and kissing him. He feels Haechan sigh against his top lip, bringing a hand to his face to angle him up. He pulls back, runs his eyes over Ursa Minor, kisses him again. “I’ll go anywhere as long as it’s with you.”

Haechan presses him into the ground and kisses him one last time. Minhyung feels impossibly warm, but shivers when the genie’s tongue flits against his lips. He opens up and lets himself melt into his mouth and arms. He feels sleepy, like he could fall asleep on the ground while they kiss. 

They pull away and Haechan knocks their foreheads together gently, kissing the tip of his nose. “Get your clothes on, Lee Minhyung. We have places to be.”

“Where’s Gu?” He asks as he pulls his pants up his legs. He watches Haechan do the same with pink cheeks. 

“He’s been flyin’ around,” the genie begins. He stalks to the door and forces the slot open, peeking outside. “I told him to come when Feng realises I ain’t with him anymore.” He turns back around, a stern look on his face. “Now, Lee Minhyung. We need to move quickly. People are gonna notice you’re gone in a matter of minutes so we need to get far away from here as soon as possible.”

Gu pops in above Haechan’s shoulder, pulsing brightly. “Feng knows.”

Haechan grins, pulling Minhyung closer by his wrist. “Why don’t you go ahead and use one of those wishes to get us outta here, huh?”

“Lee Donghyuck,” he starts, pressing forward and smiling against the genie’s lips. “I wish you would get us out of this hell hole.”

Haechan kisses him, pressing a hand into his lower back. “Your wish is my command, Lee Minhyung.”

There’s a flash of green light, similar to the one Minhyung had seen when Haechan first appeared, and it makes him shake with excitement. He  _ knew  _ there was something missing all the times before. When the light disappears, they’re standing in the hall outside of the cell and a woman is staring at them with wide eyes. She opens her mouth to let out a scream and Haechan launches forward, pressing a finger to her forehead. She crumples and he lays her gently on the ground as Minhyung watches on in horror.

“I just put her to sleep,” Haechan says, grabbing his hand. “We wouldn’t make it out if people found out you escaped now. She’s gonna be fine, so  _ come on. _ ”

He pulls Minhyung down the hall and to the left, pushing him into vacant rooms when he hears footsteps nearing them. Their hearts are pounding against each other as they press together inside of a closet, breathing shallowly. Someone shouts from the hall they came from and Minhyung tenses as a group of guards run past them. Haechan smiles down at him, kissing the top of his head. Bells begin ringing through the building and the genie points to the door.

“That, right there,” he speaks lowly into his ear. “Is how we get out. They aren’t gonna search the bell tower, they’ve already done it once to sound the alarm.” He pushes the door open and they run in the direction of the sound. Minhyung’s heart is in his throat.

“This way!” They pull open another door and it reveals a winding staircase. The bells seem to be getting infinitely louder. Haechan lets go of Minhyung’s hand and they take the steps two at a time. 

There’s a guard standing at the top of the stairs and Haechan is quick to knock him out as well. He props him against one of the walls and directs Minhyung to the edge. He hasn’t realised how close they were to the river, but the water is swirling at the bottom of the tower, whispering promises of freedom.

The clanging of the bells is so loud in Minhyung’s ears he can feel it vibrating in his chest. Haechan is speaking to him but he can’t understand what he’s saying. He sneaks a glance at the sleeping guard; he’s terrified they aren’t going to make it. He can imagine a group of men thundering up the steps now, weapons in hand and ready to stop them, no matter what the cost. He can already feel the pain that seems impossible to escape. 

But Haechan grips his hand tightly and Minhyung is forced to ground himself, looking into his eyes. They’re golden and swirling with an emotion that he can’t quite place. He sees him mouth  _ jump  _ and Minhyung looks back over the ledge, hesitating. The water is right there. He looks back at the genie and tugs on his arm, a silent plead for him to jump with him. But Haechan shakes his head and Minhyung’s eyes go wide when he shakes his arm free and shoves him over the edge. His cry of surprise is cut short when his back slams against the surface of the river and he sinks. His heart hammers wildly in his ears as he struggles to get his head above the water. Why hasn’t he jumped yet?

He gasps for air when he reaches the surface and blinks the water out of his eyes. Haechan is still standing inside of the bell tower, and the noise continues to hurt Minhyung’s ears even from the bottom. But Haechan is unmoving, staring down at him with eyes blown in fear. 

“Donghyuck, jump!” He shouts. “They’re going to find us!” His voice is swallowed by the bells but he prays the genie can understand what he’s trying to say. “Jump!”

Haechan shifts, nods his head, and moves to jump in, but he suddenly startles and whips around. Minhyung feels his blood go cold. Haechan is frozen above him and for once, Minhyung believes he’s truly afraid—infinitely more afraid than he had been when they were arrested. Haechan turns back and screams something that Minhyung can’t understand. He’s frantic, waving his arms desperately and Minhyung realises he’s trying to tell him to leave. He shakes his head, just barely, and waves his own arm, beckoning the genie down.

But he knows that face. The shock, the flash of pain, the resignation. And he falls, his body turning in the air before he plunges into the water and Minhyung lets out a scream so earth-shattering it rings in his ears over the bells. He ducks beneath the surface and chases after Haechan, swallowing mouthfuls of water as he continues to shout. He feels sick to his stomach when he catches his arm and hauls him against his chest, desperately kicking back toward the surface. Arrows are being shot into the water and one slices into Minhyung’s shoulder, making his grip on Haechan slip. He gets a burst of adrenaline and one final kick brings their heads out of the water. He’s panting and losing strength in his arms. Haechan is still limp against him.

The shooting has stopped and Gu finally reappears, glowing brilliantly, and the sight of him makes Minhyung gasp in relief. He lets the current of the river carry them downstream for a little longer until he finds the strength to swim the two of them to the shore. He drags Haechan’s body out of the water and it’s only then that he notices the arrow snapped in half and sticking from his side. He rests him on his back and drops to his knees, wrapping his hands around the stick. He pulls it out with a grunt and feels his breathing halt as he waits for some sort of reaction from Haechan. But he doesn’t move. 

“Lee Donghyuck, if you don’t wake up, I won’t forgive you,” he grits as he pushes against his chest. “I’m going to be so, fucking, mad.”

One more blow to his chest sends Haechan shooting up, coughing. He spits up a mouthful of water and cries out, his hands going to the wound in his side, but Minhyung is so relieved to see him breathing that he shouts and tackles Haechan back to the ground.

“Lee Minhyung, please. It hurts so bad,” he sobs, pushing him away. “I can barely breathe.”

Minhyung falls back onto his hands and squints at the genie. He can’t tell if he’s crying or if there’s still water in his eyes. Haechan pants up at the sky, his eyes squeezing shut as he gasps. His hands are growing bloodier with every breath he takes and Minhyung can feel bile rising in his throat as he leans forward and lays his hands on top of the genie’s.

“Heal yourself, then.” He gestures to Gu. “He’s right there. You can do it, right? You’ve done it before, when the dog attacked you, and when we got hurt on the bridge.” Haechan shakes his head. “What do you mean ‘no’? I know you can do it, I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”

“Lee Minhyung…”

“Donghyuck, you’re freaking me out,” Minhyung says, sitting back on his feet. “Just heal yourself. I wished for you to never get hurt, in that room with Feng.”

“It wasn’t a real wish, remember?”

“Then I’ll make it a wish now–”

“Lee Minhyung, please stop,” Haechan rasps. His hands reach toward Minhyung and he watches blood smear on his arms when they touch. “Please, just… Stop.”

“You told me we were going to be okay,” Minhyung insists, frowning in disbelief. “You told me that more than once.”

“You wouldn’t have listened to me if I’d told you the truth.”

“Don’t say that, Haechan,” Minhyung whispers. “Just heal yourself and we can get out of here. We’ll leave and you’ll be fine! We won’t be in any danger as long as we can get out of here!” Haechan shakes his head again. “Stop shaking your head like that.”

“Set me free, Lee Minhyung.” He winces, gasps. “Maybe set the both of us free.”

“No. Lee Donghyuck, I wish you would heal yourself.” His voice shakes when he speaks but he leans down and kisses him still, forcing his eyes shut. But Haechan doesn’t kiss him back, so he moves away, his eyebrows drawn together. “Why aren’t you healing?”

Haechan breathes a laugh before his face contorts in pain. “It doesn’t work like that, Minhyung.” His eyes soften. “You love China too much to leave, anyway. You have Kun and Genji. You even have Yongqin, no matter how much I despise him.”

“I can leave them, Donghyuck, please,” Minhyung begs. He can hardly breathe. “I’ll leave every single one of them behind if it means you’ll come with me. Please, just heal yourself or grant my wish. I have two wishes still, I can still set you free–”

Haechan strains forward and silences him with a kiss, his hand curling around the back of his neck. Minhyung sobs into his mouth as he kisses back; his heart is a lump in his throat. Haechan falls back onto the ground with a small gasp and his hand slides over Minhyung’s cheek. He can smell the blood on his skin now.

“Lee Minhyung, I love you.” Minhyung shakes as he kisses the palm of his hand and tastes blood on his lips. “I swore to myself that I would never fall in love, but I fell in love with you so suddenly, it felt like someone had stuck my head underwater and they weren’t gonna let me up for air.” He laughs, then whimpers.

“Why are you doing this, then?” Minhyung asks, trembling. “If you love me so much, why are you asking me to kill you?”

“Because I told myself I couldn’t stay with you if one of us got hurt again, Minhyung,” he whispers. “And look what happened. China has shown both of us how happy you can be. I can’t drag you away from this.”

Minhyung’s eyes fall shut. “We were able to be happy together! Why can’t you just make them forget who we are and we can stay here?”

“I’ve already made them forget you. No one is looking for you except for those I know you can trust. But I can’t make anyone forget the Jade Genie. Feng won’t stop until he sees me dead or as his slave.”

“You said you’d make them forget us both!” Minhyung wails. “You told me in the cell that they’d forget  _ us _ , not just me!”

“Because I knew you wouldn’t have listened.”

Minhyung takes a shuddering, wheezing breath and feels his shoulders slump. “I don’t want you to be gone.”

Haechan’s eyes begin to fill with tears and he chokes on a cry. “I don’t want to leave you.”

It hurts. It hurts so badly that all of the airways in Minhyung’s lungs have closed up, allowing trapping the breath in his body. He doesn’t want to, but he can hear Haechan in his head. He’s begging him, because maybe death has been his endgame since the beginning. Minhyung never had asked what exactly he meant when he said he wanted to be free.

“Please, Lee Minhyung. I love you, and that’s why I’m askin’ you to do this.”

He can hardly bring himself to nod his head. But he does, and Haechan goes silent with grief. Minhyung goes quiet as well, trying desperately to not make a noise in case anyone searching for them is nearby. He rests his head on Haechan’s chest and listens to his heart thump against his ribs. It used to be something so therapeutic for him to listen to, but now it only makes him ache more. The genie’s hands find his hair and stroke through it softly, his last act of comfort for him. When Minhyung sits up, Haechan has gone pale and his eyes are red. 

“Donghyuck, I–” He feels himself choke, and tears fall hot against his cheeks, burning his skin. He gasps for air desperately, and Haechan shakes below him. “I love you.”

The genie smiles, wobbly and watery, and runs a hand down Minhyung’s chest. “And I love you. I love you, I love you so much.”

Minhyung can feel himself crumbling. He thinks he’s going to be sick with every breath he takes. He just wants to stop hurting. He wants both of them to stop hurting. So he leans down and captures Haechan’s lips, savouring the feeling and the way he tastes.

“Lee Donghyuck,” he begins, and his tears drip onto the genie’s face. “Lee Donghyuck, I wish for you to be free.”

Haechan pulls him down for another kiss, one that knocks their teeth together and makes Minhyung’s skull rattle. “Your wish is my command, Lee Minhyung.”

The flash of light is blinding, and when he can finally see again, Gu is gone. Haechan’s arms are no longer hugged by the inking of jade, and the golden glow he once had is gone. He looks sickly, coughing up a mouthful of blood as Minhyung stares down at him. He looks so afraid and in so much pain.

“Donghyuck,” he murmurs. “Why did you make me do that?”

He says nothing, pulling a ring from his finger and taking Minhyung’s hand. “Please never get rid of this, Lee Minhyung.”

He feels his heart shatter as Donghyuck slips the ring onto his finger. He presses their lips together one more time, tears mixing with saliva as he licks into his mouth and cries. Donghyuck is losing energy with every second and Minhyung eventually feels him lose the strength to kiss back.

“I love you, I love you, I love you.”

“Please leave, Minhyung,” Donghyuck wheezes. “I don’t want you to see me die.”

“I can’t do that.” He’s struggling to keep his eyes open and Minhyung squeezes his hand tightly. “Please, don’t.”

“I love you too, Lee Minhyung. Now go.” He smiles. “You’re gonna be okay.”

So with one last kiss to Donghyuck’s forehead, Minhyung leaves. His legs feel weak as he walks into the woods and when he turns back, Donghyuck is no longer breathing. He falls against a tree and covers his mouth with a bloodied hand, sobs wracking through his body. He cries until he thinks he might be sick and when he can finally bring enough air into his lungs so as to not faint, he presses his lips against the ring on his finger. 

He’ll never forgive the Jade Emperor, he thinks as he wanders through the trees. His eyes and heart feel heavy and while he can feel himself growing numb, tears continue to flow freely down his cheeks. He will never forgive the Jade Emperor for giving Minhyung something to love so deeply and ripping it away from him. He’ll never forgive him for creating something simply to hate it. He begins to understand why people choose to believe in Nüwa. 

Apricot trees come into view and he swallows his heart back into his chest, pressing a hand into his shoulder and stopping in front of the door. He can’t find the energy to knock, so he hits his head against the wood instead, closing his eyes. It’s silent for a moment, and he wonders if no one is home, but the door swings open and Yongqin regards him with wide eyes.

“Munu? What happened?” His eyes fall onto his shoulder and he gasps. “Oh my god, you’re bleeding, come inside! Are you okay? Where’s Tiaoning?”

Minhyung shatters.


	7. HEARTWORM

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The country no longer smells like fruit and fresh grass so deep into the winter months. It smells like ice and wet dirt and inexplicable loneliness. The flowers are frozen over and the grass crunches under the weight of his feet as he moves off the path. The trees that once filtered sunlight through glowing green leaves are now dead and spindly. The sun reflects off the ice and makes him squint. Minhyung hates winter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEARTWORM  
> (n.)  
> a relationship or friendship that you can't get out of your head, which you thought had faded long ago but is still somehow alive and unfinished.
> 
> [story playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/17R4TqySz4Bg3GHTwMdpv0?si=wJ0mBOLxR0KFNAgqzofmjA)

Minhyung can still feel Donghyuck. Even now. 

He can feel him in the way Genji looks at him, in the way Kun cares for him when he comes to visit, in the way Yongqin kisses him. He’s everywhere, pulling at Minhyung’s limbs and ripping the air from his lungs as he fills him with inexplicable warmth, but Minhyung knows that warmth will never feel the same.

He will never walk through the country without seeing Donghyuck pick at flower petals in the grass, nor will he ever watch a sunset without feeling his burning gaze, tearing through every wall he’d ever built. Minhyung can’t even lay in bed with Yongqin without remembering the last time Donghyuck had laid with him above the shop, breathing onto his skin and saying nothing with words, but everything with his eyes. 

“Minhyung?”

The name makes him freeze up, and he looks at Kun from across the table with wide eyes. When he looks back, his own eyes are clouded with grief. Minhyung forces himself to smile and picks up his spoon, dunking it into his soup.

“I’m sorry. No one calls me that anymore…” He shakes his head. “I just thought–”

“Don’t apologise,” Kun assures, shaking his head. “It was a little insensitive of me, now that I think about it. Calling you Munu just doesn’t feel right anymore.”

“I don’t think Minhyung exists anymore. Not in the way that he used to.”

Kun doesn’t say anything and looks down at his food. Beside him, Shuying looks at Minhyung with sad, tired eyes. It makes him uncomfortable so he looks up at the ceiling with his cheeks puffed out, staring at a cobweb clinging to the beams as if it’s something fascinating. He wonders what Yongqin is doing now. He’d changed his mind on coming to lunch and shooed Minhyung out of the house so quickly, it planted a seed of worry in his stomach. He swirls his spoon in his soup and sighs.

“How is Genji doing?” Kun asks.

“She was confused, at first. She could smell him on me but she couldn’t figure out where she was. She used to spend hours sniffing around Yongqin’s, hoping to find any hint of him. Now she’s just… sad, I guess. I think she realised he isn’t going to come back.” Minhyung’s appetite has disappeared.

“Poor thing,” Shuying says miserably. “I always hate seeing pets grieve.”

“Well, it’s not fun seeing a person grieve either, is it?”

Shuying gnaws on her lip anxiously. “Oh, Munu. I’m sorry, I just–”

“It’s fine.” He stands, nearly knocking over his stool with the force of his movement. “I should probably get going, I’ve been worrying about Yongqin all afternoon.”

Kun and Shuying stand silently, pushing their bowls to the middle of the table. At the front of the shop, Minhyung wraps a scarf around his neck. He kisses Shuying’s cheek and mumbles a quiet goodbye. There are unshed tears building in her eyes and a needle of guilt pricks at his heart. He itches to say something, but his tongue feels heavy in his mouth.

“Let me walk you out,” Kun offers. He kisses Shuying and whispers something in her ear that makes her let out a watery laugh and wipe at her eyes. Minhyung burns with envy.

He follows Kun outside and shuts the door behind him. Kun bounces on the balls of his feet and shivers, his breath clouding and mixing with Minhyung’s. They look at each other warily. Minhyung shoves his hands past the waistband of his pants and presses his cold fingers to his thighs. 

“Munu, it’s been eight months now.” He fidgets. “Of course, I can’t expect you to heal right away, but we can’t talk to you anymore. You’ve shut down completely.”

“If you can’t expect me to heal, why are we having this conversation?” Minhyung bites. “You want me to take my time, but you want me to hurry up because you want to have a conversation with me?”

“We miss you, Munu,” Kun insists. “Of course, it’s going to take time. Of course it will. But you don’t even talk about him. Today is the first time we’ve been able to bring him up without you running away.” He takes a step forward and wraps a hand around the back of Minhyung’s neck. “We want you to be able to talk to us again. Whether it’s about how much it’s snowed, or how much you miss him. Because  _ I  _ miss him, and I want to talk to you about him.”

Minhyung’s jaw begins to ache. “I do miss him, Ge. I really, really miss him.”

“I know you do,” he whispers and pulls him into a hug. “You’re never going to stop missing him, and that’s okay. But come back to us, please. I miss you, too. Shuying misses you. Yongqin misses you.”

He closes his eyes and breathes into Kun’s neck, willing his throat to loosen. It hurts to swallow, it hurts to breathe, and the wind hurts because it feels like the air is going to freeze the tears welling in his eyes. He feels tired, and all he longs for is Donghyuck.

“Yongqin loves you, you do know this, right?” Kun pulls away and holds Minhyung by his shoulders. “He loves you so much. He’s been working so hard to take care of you, but he’s come to me quite a few times feeling a lot of hurt.” He sighs. “He knows that you don’t love him as much as you love Tiaoning, and it causes him a lot of pain.”

“But I–”

“We all know you still love him,” Kun assures. “But you’ve been so closed off, how is he supposed to feel secure? He told me you still call out his name…”

“Are you trying to guilt me right now?” Minhyung shoves him away. “What are you doing? You’re switching up on me every time you speak! I need time to heal, I need to hurry up and get over it! I need to talk to you about him, I need to love him less! What do you want from me, Kun?”

“Munu, I’m sorry–”

“An apology isn’t going to work right now!” People are stopping in the road to see what’s going on but Minhyung pays no mind, hot tears spilling down his cheeks as he points an accusing finger. “You have no right to speak to me like this when  _ you’re  _ the one who turned us in and  _ I’m  _ the one who had to walk away and let him die!

“It isn’t just about missing him. It never has been, alright? It’s been about seeing him suffer and hearing him beg me to let him die! I’m having nightmares where I’m forced to relive everything, from my parents burning to Donghyuck bleeding out! I can’t get  _ one  _ night where I don’t wake up screaming or crying or being sick. I apologise if I’m being disrespectful, but don’t you  _ dare  _ try to tell me that I’m taking too long to overcome all of this  _ shit  _ I’ve gone through.” 

Kun stays quiet, watching Minhyung huff as he wipes harshly at his face. Minhyung can feel his heart fluttering in his chest like a dove trapped in a cage far too small. Spots swim in his vision and he stumbles, moving back to lean against a beam holding up the shop’s verandah.

“I can’t say anything right now except I’m sorry,” Kun begins. “I will never be able to understand what you’ve struggled with for the last eleven years. I will continue to apologise and I will stop trying to push you to heal.” He moves forward again, caging Minhyung. “But I will never stop you from speaking about Tiaoning. As long as you continue thinking about him, as long as you bring him up in conversation, he will never truly be gone.”

Minhyung feels his knees wobble and he begins to cry again, hiding his face in the crook of his elbow. He feels Kun take his hand. “Go home, okay? Go see Genji and Yongqin. Spend some time with them and allow yourself to feel anything nice. Being happy does not mean you’re forgetting about him.”

“Okay.” He allows himself to be pulled into a hug and watches his tears sink into the fabric of Kun’s jacket. “Happy birthday, Ge.”

“Thank you, Munu.” Kun steps back and offers a small smile. “Don’t be a stranger, okay? And Yongqin better have a good excuse for missing out on my birthday lunch.”

Minhyung feels himself laugh. He watches something flicker across Kun’s features before he shakes his head and smiles again. Minhyung can’t remember the last time he laughed. 

They say their goodbyes and Minhyung turns and begins heading northwest. It’s busy in the district, with lines for the food stalls stretching into the roads. He passes by the meat stall he and Donghyuck had gone to and the woman smiles gently at him. He looks away, staring at his feet as they move across the dusty street. He never went back after Donghyuck died, but Minhyung has convinced himself that her sad looks mean she knows what happened. He bumps shoulders with someone in his haste to return home and they drop their meat skewers at their feet, moaning woefully. Minhyung offers them the little pocket money he has to get something else, but they decline, patting him on the back of the head and urging him to continue home. He must look so pitiful to the people of Zhenxing. 

The country no longer smells like fruit and fresh grass so deep into the winter months. It smells like ice and wet dirt and inexplicable loneliness. The flowers are frozen over and the grass crunches under the weight of his feet as he moves off the path. The trees that once filtered sunlight through glowing green leaves are now dead and spindly. The sun reflects off the ice and makes him squint. Minhyung hates winter. 

But despite the death of the forest, there’s something alive and burning about Yongqin’s home. Even as the apricot trees stand barren and dripping from the fresh rain, they welcome Minhyung with the promise of something warm and comforting. The smell of apricots never leaves, burrowing into the stitches of Minhyung’s clothes and into every corner of the house. While it’s winter everywhere else, Yongqin’s home is stuck in an endless cycle of summer. 

“Yongqin?” He calls into the house once he’s stepped inside, unwrapping the scarf around his neck. “I’m home. Where are you?”

“Out back!” His voice twinkles through the back door like glass chimes and Minhyung bundles himself back up and trudges outside. 

“What are you doing out here? It’s  _ freezing _ –”

Yongqin presses a chaste kiss to his lips and pats at his chest. “I hope Kun wasn’t too angry with me for missing his birthday lunch,” he says, wincing. “I found some Pistia growing over the stream and I thought it might be cause for some concern. It could be poisonous to Genji, for all we know!”

“We could have just kept her inside while we went to lunch, or, I don’t know… brought her with us?” Minhyung huffs down at him. “I don’t think that’s going to be enough of an excuse to make any of us forgive you.”

“Lame.”

“Where is Genji, anyway?” Minhyung peeks over Yongqin’s head, eyes searching for the dog. “She didn’t run off again, did she?”

Yongqin shakes his head and presses himself against Minhyung, shivering in the cold. “She’s just been sniffing around. I was calling her every few minutes to make sure she didn’t get too far.”

He hums, then whistles. “Genji! Come here, bub!”

It’s quiet for a moment, then there’s a rustling of brush and the breaking of several twigs and Genji comes barrelling towards them, her tongue lolling out of her mouth. Minhyung crouches down to greet her, nearly falling on his backside when Genji tackles him and begins licking his face. He massages at her ears and giggles to himself when she leans into his touch. 

“How was it? Lunch?”

Minhyung heaves a sigh and stands back up. Genji bounds off elsewhere, sniffing at the air. “It wasn’t great. I hardly ate, and we barely spoke. Kun Ge and I got into an argument as I was leaving.”

“What about?”

“What else? About Donghyuck.” He can feel Yongqin tense beside him. “Something silly about me taking too long to get over it.” He shakes his head. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“I understand, of course,” Yongqin assures. “I’m sorry I didn’t go with you.”

Minhyung shrugs. “It’s alright. I would have avoided going if I were you, too.”

There’s a gust of wind and Minhyung’s senses are overloaded with the smell of apricot. It’s strange, really, there’s something almost magical about the perpetual sweetness of the air around him. He closes his eyes and breathes in, savouring the moment. He really should listen to Kun’s advice. 

Genji shoots around the side of the house and falls into the stream, breaking the thin layer of ice that had frozen over. Minhyung laughs as she slips and struggles to escape and Yongqin’s eyes are stuck on him, wide and shining. Genji shakes the water off herself and rushes off with a low sound. Minhyung watches on with a smile and for the first time in eight months, the warmth in his chest doesn’t feel so suffocating. There’s a hand on his shoulder and he’s suddenly met with an overwhelming feeling of deja vu. 

The apricot trees, Genji in the stream, the hand on his shoulder: it all feels so familiar to Minhyung that he feels his throat tighten up. He remembers the night he’d dreamt of this. He’d been so sure Donghyuck would be the one standing behind him at this moment. He’d planned a future with Donghyuck before he ever knew whether or not he loved him back. 

Instinctually, his hand goes to the ring on his finger. He twists it around the digit and stares ahead blankly, afraid to look down. 

“Munu, are you alright?”

Minhyung takes a deep breath. He doesn’t know what to say. Yongqin steps in front of him and grabs his hands, his own fingers going to twist at the ring. They look at each other for a moment, Yongqin’s eyes full of questions that Minhyung can’t answer, so he leans forward and kisses him instead.

It’s soft and warm, and Yongqin’s arms go around his neck as he sighs into Minhyung’s mouth. Their lips drag against each other’s lazily until they begin to chap and Minhyung is forced to pull away, knocking their foreheads together.

“Do you want to go inside?” Yongqin asks. “You must be hungry if you hardly ate at Kun’s. I haven’t eaten since this morning, either.”

Minhyung nods and lets Yongqin pull him into the house by the hand, whistling for Genji to follow. She slumps against the back door and pants as the two of them move around the kitchen. Minhyung sets down a bowl and watches Yongqin sneeze into the crook of his elbow. The tips of his ears are bright pink from the cold and he shakes his head to regain composure. Minhyung feels it in his chest. It’s growing and burning hot as it spreads to his toes. He steps forward to kiss Yongqin again and revels in the way he blushes. 

Minhyung was never meant to be with Donghyuck. Donghyuck was meant to lead him right here, to the little cottage in the country with the cute gardener with tan skin and a straight smile. He was meant to guide him to the beginning of the rest of his life; Minhyung just so happened to fall in love with him along the way. He can still feel Donghyuck, even now, but the Jade Genie was simply a passing chapter in Minhyung’s story. One that taught him how to fall in love. He lets his eyes rest on the ring weighing his finger down and allows himself to bask in a moment of contentment. Across the table, Yongqin takes a seat and smiles. Minhyung was never meant to be with Donghyuck forever, but he was always meant to have him, just for a moment. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that's it guys,,,five months of work, all finished with 2700 measly words......forgive me  
> really, truly, i hope u enjoyed reading this as much as much as i enjoyed writing it. while markhyuck didn't get the happy ending you wanted, it's still the happy ending they needed.  
> i love u all !!! and don't be afraid to be my friend, i promise i'm nice :( i'm currently working on a xiaodery fic so look forward to that before the end of the month :0  
> here's my [twt](https://twitter.com/seolarss) and [cc](https://curiouscat.qa/seolarss) if u wanna get in touch <3

**Author's Note:**

> follow my [twitter](https://twitter.com/seolarss) for updates on this fic !!  
> also check out my [cc](%E2%80%9C) perhaps 🥺  
> thank u for reading <33333


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